In this episode of “No Tears For Black Girls,” we take you to 553 Sheldon Avenue SE in Grand Rapids, Michigan—a mustard-yellow house built in 1903 whose creaking floors and weathered walls have borne witness to generations of family stories. Nestled in the city’s South East Community, an area marked by both steadfast home ownership and stubbornly high crime rates, the house seems to stand apart from the bustle of downtown life, its somber presence a silent sentinel on cloudy Michigan days.

On a cold Wednesday morning in March 2019, 25-year-old Keyona Griffin made a final, desperate call to 911 from inside that very home. “I need help,” she whispered, her voice trembling so faintly that the crucial words—“He already killed my auntie”—were never properly understood by the dispatcher. What followed was a tragic cascade of missed signals and lost opportunities, and a case that would come to define the Grand Rapids Police Department’s worst fears: a vibrant young woman and her beloved aunt murdered in their own home, and the alleged perpetrator slipping through every net, only to end up on the U.S. Marshals’ 15 Most Wanted list.

But this is more than a tale of procedural breakdowns and unanswered calls. It is the story of Keyona Griffin—a “bubbly and big-hearted” woman whose radiant optimism made her loss all the more heartrending—and Cherletta Baber-Bey, the gentle, nurturing aunt who saw only the best in the man she trusted. Through interviews with family members, law enforcement officials, and community advocates, we piece together the human lives behind the headlines and ask how a case so full of potential turning points could still remain unresolved.

Join us as we sift through the fragments of evidence, revisit heart-wrenching 911 recordings, and confront the lingering questions of accountability and justice. In “Shadows on Sheldon,” we don’t just recount a crime—we explore the people caught in its crossfire, the flaws in our emergency response systems, and the enduring hope that one day, those who love Keyona and Cherletta will finally find the answers they deserve. Tune in and walk the creaking floors with us—if you dare.

In this episode, we revisit the harrowing January 2025 disappearance of 29-year-old Alexis Schuler, a devoted mother of three whose life was cut tragically short. Known for her radiant smile and unwavering love for her children, Alexis vanished after getting into a truck with Devontae Gray, the father of one of her children. What began as a missing person case quickly escalated into one of the most chilling domestic violence tragedies the Capitol Heights community had ever seen. When officers finally executed a search warrant at Gray’s duplex, they uncovered Alexis’s body concealed behind a newly built wall—entombed in concrete, soil, and hay—a discovery that would shock investigators and expose glaring lapses in the system’s response to domestic abuse warnings.

In this compelling episode of No Tears For Black Girls, host Samantha Paul invites listeners to engage with the transformative journey of Ashley, a remarkable survivor whose experiences illustrate both the personal and systemic challenges faced by many in our society. From a profoundly unsettling childhood marked by betrayal and silence to a powerful emergence as an advocate for change, Ashley's story is a testament to resilience and the pursuit of justice.

At a tender age of six, Ashley's world was turned upside down when someone she trusted shattered her sense of safety. Instead of receiving the support she desperately needed, she encountered skepticism and dismissal from those around her. As she navigated the complexities of her youth, Ashley faced mounting obstacles that would haunt her for years. With the intervention of a compassionate teacher at age twelve, what seemed to be a pivotal moment turned into another instance of lost opportunity, underscoring the systemic failures that often go unnoticed in our communities.

Over the course of three decades, Ashley's journey was fraught with familial struggles, societal stigma, and the frustrating delays of institutional responses. However, her indomitable spirit never wavered. It was on her thirtieth birthday that Ashley found renewed purpose, as long-buried truths came to light, reshaping her understanding of justice and healing. Driven by a desire to protect her child and uplift others who have experienced similar trauma, Ashley's advocacy work became a beacon of hope and empowerment.

Join us in this enlightening episode as we unpack the complexities of Ashley's experiences, exploring the profound impact of systemic gaps on individual lives, the power of community support, and the journey of reclaiming one's voice. Her story serves not only as a source of inspiration but also as a call to action for those seeking to understand and dismantle the barriers that perpetuate suffering. Tune in to hear how Ashley's courage and determination can inspire systemic change and foster a culture of accountability and support.