Kevon Watkins is behind bars for killing his sister, Alexus Watkins, during a WiFi password dispute at their home in Macon, Georgia.
On Feb. 2, 2018, Kevon, who was a 16-year-old student at Westside High School, returned home from school and changed the password to the family’s Wifi.
According to WSB-TV 2, he didn’t want anyone slowing down the internet while he played a game on his Xbox.
When Kevon’s 13-year-old brother learned what he had done, he told their mom, who confronted him about it. That’s when an argument ensued.
Alexus, 20, feared that Kevon was going to physically attack their mother, so she stepped in. When she did that, Kevon grabbed her by the throat and put her in a chokehold, sending Alexus into an unconscious state.
His mother and brother made several attempts to stop Kevon, but they were unable to subdue him; therefore, they called 911 for help.
When officers with the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the West Mount Road home around 5:17 p.m., Kevon still had his sister in a chokehold.
She was still unconscious.
Kevon released her after deputies ordered him to do so, and she fell to the floor.
Responding officers performed CPR until emergency medical services arrived on the scene. She was rushed to the medical center, Navicent Health, where she was listed in critical condition.
Shortly after 3 a.m., Alexus was pronounced dead.
Kevon was arrested and booked into the Regional Youth Detention Center on Riggins Mill Road. He was charged with felony murder and aggravated assault.
The teen waived his right to a jury trial and opted for a judge to hear his testimony and review evidence in the case.
Following a two-day deliberation, Bibb County Superior Court Judge Verda Colvin found him guilty of the charges.
Kevon uttered the words “I’m sorry” as he sobbed in court.
Prosecutors stated that it was evident that Kevon did not intentionally try to kill his sister, but his decision to place her in a chokehold for at least 15 minutes is what ultimately led to her death.
He had ample time to let her go after his family pleaded with him to stop, but he chose not to, Oxygen reported.
A GBI medical examiner testified that a person is declared brain dead after at least 10 minutes without oxygen.
Judge Colvin said, “Even under the best estimation, by the time he got there… it had been at least 11 minutes that the defendant had to have been choking his sister.”
“In those 10 minutes, she had to have stopped moving. Perhaps that wasn’t noticed by the defendant because he was still angry.”
His mother’s fiancé testified.
He stated that Kevon would constantly disrespect his mother, have fights with his siblings, and often change the WiFi password without any consequences.
“It’s just tragic because had this situation not been ignored, it wouldn’t have been empowered,” said Colvin.
The judge apologized to Kevon for the adults in his life who let him down and failed to give him the proper tools to deal with his anger.
Watkins was subsequently sentenced to life in prison.