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00:00Like so many of us, for the Banks family, Thanksgiving in Vicksburg, Mississippi is
00:11all about being together.
00:13Family is very, very important to us.
00:18But suddenly, their joyous holiday season is replaced with terror.
00:25She was in the safety of her own home, and she didn't even make it through the door.
00:34Everyone started locking their doors.
00:36It came of a shock to me to hear that we had a homicide during the holidays itself leading
00:41up to Christmas.
00:43Police discover a heartbreaking clue.
00:46She was pregnant.
00:47She had been shot in the stomach, told me that somebody wanted her to lose that child.
00:55There's a lot of rage in this crime.
00:57This was some sort of crime of passion.
01:01Thanksgiving is what set this all in motion, and six days later, she's dead.
01:06With no clear motive, everyone is a suspect.
01:10You ain't wanna fuck this thing, I actually do the shit out of you.
01:14Who did you want?
01:37Hello, I'm Nancy Grace.
01:48Thanksgiving is the beginning of the Christmas season,
01:51and Americans all across our country embrace that tradition with joyful anticipation.
01:58We drive long distances to be together with family and friends,
02:02and there's always a lot of food, a lot of fun, family, and laughter.
02:09Thanksgiving 2006, it's setting up to be a memorable holiday for Deborah Banks of Vicksburg, Mississippi.
02:17She and her husband travel all the way to Houston, Texas,
02:21where the entire family's gathering for a traditional turkey dinner.
02:26It was me and my husband, my daughters, Fredrina, Avis,
02:35and we went to LaTanya's house.
02:37That's my oldest daughter.
02:42And it started off real good.
02:48Being with family, enjoy each other's presents, eating all day long, all day long.
02:58It's a beautiful chaos.
03:02And we were all together.
03:04I was very, very happy.
03:07Deborah Banks has a good reason to be happy.
03:10Her daughter, Avis, is expecting a baby in the new year,
03:13and she's engaged to be married.
03:16She was happy that she was pregnant.
03:19She was going to have a baby,
03:20and she knew that we all were going to love that baby.
03:25Boy, it's Keon.
03:26I don't even know if he was happy.
03:28I really don't.
03:30Avis Banks' fiancé, Keon Pittman, is with her at Thanksgiving dinner,
03:34but he seems detached, and he keeps checking his phone.
03:40The expression on Keon's face told a different story.
03:46He was just so miserable.
03:52Oh, he was worried about something, you know.
03:56And that's when Mr. Keon started to get phone calls.
04:07We didn't know what the phone calls were
04:11until after everything that happened.
04:17Six days after Thanksgiving,
04:26the Ridgeland, Mississippi, Police Department
04:28gets a distressing call.
04:30The female caller said that a male came to her door,
04:51frantically beating on the door,
04:52and said, my fiancé's been shot.
04:55She's in the garage.
04:56She's bleeding.
04:56I need help right away.
04:58Get me somebody here.
04:59So at the scene, there was a black male there
05:01who was identified as Keon Pittman.
05:04He was pretty frantic.
05:06Had a lot of blood on his clothing as well.
05:08He was very, very shaken up.
05:10When I approached the garage,
05:13see a young black female on her back.
05:16There is a lot of blood.
05:18As I get closer,
05:19it appears to me that she may have been pregnant.
05:23No vital signs.
05:26She was gone.
05:27The victims are Keon's fiancé,
05:31Avis Banks,
05:32and their unborn baby.
05:36It was quite overwhelming.
05:38I'm thinking this is the most serious crime
05:40I've seen in my short career.
05:46It came as a shock to me to hear
05:48that we had a homicide.
05:50I was informed that the fiancé had arrived home,
05:53led up the garage,
05:54and saw his fiancé laying on the garage floor by a car.
05:59She was actually lying on her back.
06:01She had some papers in her hand
06:03which tell us that she had gone to the mailbox,
06:07gathered her mail, gathered her purse,
06:09and exited her vehicle
06:11before she was ambushed.
06:15I noticed that her pants were partially pulled down.
06:19Her shirt was pulled up.
06:20I wondered if this was a botched sexual assault
06:25that ended in a murder.
06:29It was evident that she had been shot multiple times.
06:32She was about five months pregnant.
06:34So hearing that she had been shot in the stomach,
06:38you know, basically told me
06:40that somebody wanted her to lose that child.
06:42Her throat had been slashed,
06:46and there was actually a puncture wound
06:48in her neck as well.
06:50I've never encountered a victim
06:52of a homicide who was shot and stabbed.
06:55I thought that was strange at that point.
06:58To shoot someone
07:00and then stab them and slash their throat.
07:03Why is that necessary?
07:05Definitely looked like overkill.
07:07Maybe this was a very personal attack on Ms. Banks.
07:10Avis Banks is a beloved daycare teacher.
07:16Everyone loves her,
07:18both the parents and the children alike.
07:20So why would she be so viciously attacked?
07:26She was extremely kind,
07:29very caring.
07:31She wanted to make sure
07:32that everybody was happy.
07:33Avis hoped that life was to open up a daycare.
07:38She was the first to graduate from college.
07:43She was going for her master's.
07:46And we were so proud of her.
07:49Avis Banks meets Keyon Pittman
07:51at a gym two years earlier, in 2004.
07:55So Avis and her sister came over to my house
07:58to let me know that they had met this guy at the gym.
08:01His name was Keyon Pittman.
08:03And that he seemed really nice.
08:06He was flirting with Avis.
08:08So she did decide to give him her number.
08:11Keyon Pittman teaches children as well
08:13at a local middle school.
08:15That job convinces Avis
08:17the two have a lot in common.
08:19And she is certain
08:20he's the right guy for her.
08:23Their relationship quickly grows.
08:25And they moved into their very first home,
08:34which was in Ridgeland, Mississippi.
08:35And then the next big news
08:37was that Keyon proposed to her.
08:39Now, Avis Banks will never have a wedding
08:49or share another Thanksgiving
08:50or Christmas with her family again.
08:54And they will never see the baby alive.
09:00Looking at the crime scene,
09:02what we did see some speckling on Avis' body,
09:05which means that the suspect
09:08was in close proximity to her
09:10when they placed the gun to her head
09:12to pull the trigger.
09:13That's execution style.
09:21There were no shell casings that were covered.
09:23And with that information,
09:25I assumed that she was shot with a revolver.
09:28The back door to the residence,
09:31it looked like it had forcibly been kicked twice.
09:35Were two distinct, really clear shoe impressions
09:38in dust on the door.
09:41I knew that that was going to be
09:42some really good evidence for us to collect.
09:47It just didn't look right to me.
09:53Keyon called me.
09:57He said,
09:58y'all better get over here.
10:02Something happened to Avis.
10:04When we made it to the Coder Shack,
10:10we couldn't go no further.
10:12Then, here he come.
10:17Keyon.
10:19He said,
10:20somebody broke his house
10:21and killed Avis.
10:26He was crying.
10:27He was distraught.
10:28He was upset.
10:29You know, he appeared to be
10:31someone who just lost their fiancée
10:34and unborn son.
10:36I couldn't wrap my mind
10:37around someone killing Avis.
10:42That's just the worst.
10:43Because she was such a great person.
10:45To know that she could have possibly suffered,
10:48it hurts.
10:50It was unreal
10:54who would want to hurt
10:57my child,
10:59who would want to hurt Avis,
11:00who would want to kill Avis.
11:03My baby.
11:05And my grandbaby.
11:06Back at the scene,
11:28the original police,
11:29like Avis' family,
11:30are confronted with questions.
11:32Is this a burglary
11:36or is this just some
11:39intense plot
11:41against Ms. Banks?
11:46I've got all of this,
11:47all these options
11:48going through my head
11:49and don't really know
11:50at this point
11:51which one is the right one.
11:54Police are suspicious
11:55about the way
11:56Keyon Pittman acted
11:57after he finds
11:59his fiancée's body.
12:00Why not just call 911 right away
12:04while you're staying
12:05with the victim?
12:06It seemed kind of odd
12:07that Mr. Pittman
12:08would need to go next door
12:10and beat on the door
12:11and ask for help
12:12when he has a cell phone available.
12:14Making a 911 call
12:16from somebody else's phone
12:17while you're holding
12:17the cell phone
12:18is a major red flag.
12:22Is Keyon Pittman a killer
12:24or is there someone else
12:26with blood on their hands?
12:28Somebody wanted
12:31to take her life
12:33and the life
12:34of her unborn son.
12:35The veracity of the crime
12:36really showed
12:37that somebody hated her.
12:49Welcome back.
12:51Thanksgiving spent with family
12:53provides warm memories
12:54that are beloved
12:56for years.
12:58For Deborah Banks,
13:00Thanksgiving 2006
13:01that she shared
13:02with daughter Avis
13:03must now last her
13:05a lifetime.
13:07Why?
13:08Because six days later,
13:10daughter Avis
13:11is brutally murdered
13:13in her own garage
13:14after coming home
13:16from work.
13:16Now there's crime scene tape
13:19where Christmas lights
13:20should be
13:21and Ridgeland, Mississippi
13:22police have fiancé
13:24Keyon Pittman
13:25on their radar.
13:34There are many reasons
13:35to bring
13:36Mr. Pittman
13:38to the station
13:39and it is to preserve evidence
13:40and get a good statement
13:41from him
13:42and we want to get it
13:43as quickly as possible
13:44so we know
13:44whether or not
13:45we're looking at Mr. Pittman
13:46or we're looking
13:47for another suspect.
13:48Detective Frank Dillard
13:51leads Keyon Pittman
13:52into an interview room
13:54and looks for answers
13:56that may crack this case
13:57wide open.
14:00He was making phone calls.
14:05He was texting
14:06and I just thought
14:07that was really weird.
14:08I came home
14:10I knew something
14:12but my phone never rang
14:14when I was at practice.
14:15It never rang.
14:16The whole time
14:17he was on the phone
14:18and talking to his mother
14:19or friends
14:20or whoever
14:21it's all about him.
14:24I'm thinking to myself
14:25that please sign Miranda.
14:28The Miranda warning form
14:30was so I can ask
14:31the question
14:31I really want to ask.
14:33But once we get
14:34to the point
14:35to where
14:35he's asked to sign
14:36that form
14:37he becomes
14:38a different person.
14:41And he said
14:42these MF
14:44think I had
14:45something to do
14:46with this.
14:48I don't like this at all.
14:51These motherfuckers
14:52think I had
14:53something to do
14:54with this shit
14:54I believe.
14:55I'd rather have
14:57a lawyer here
14:58or someone
14:58but I'm not gonna sign that
15:00because you could easily
15:01go back and write
15:02and charge.
15:03He called
15:06someone
15:07that was an attorney
15:08friend of a friend
15:09and the attorney
15:10advised him
15:11not to sign
15:12a Miranda form.
15:17At that point
15:18we were pretty much
15:18dead in the water
15:19with one exception.
15:23We in turn
15:24contacted a judge
15:25and got a standing order
15:28to obtain his clothing
15:29and perform
15:31a gunshot
15:31residue kit
15:32on him.
15:34Police test
15:35Keon Pittman's clothing
15:36and his hands
15:37for blood
15:38and for GSR
15:40gunshot residue
15:41and then
15:42he's released.
15:43The following day
15:45detectives receive
15:46Avis Banks'
15:47autopsy report.
15:48We learned
15:53that it was
15:54a .38
15:54caliber pistol
15:56that
15:56the projectors
15:58came out of.
15:59That helps us a lot
16:00because
16:00now we know
16:01we're looking
16:01for a .38.
16:09The autopsy
16:10of Ms. Banks
16:11also revealed
16:12that she was not
16:13sexually assaulted.
16:15We're really
16:16beginning to believe
16:17that we're dealing
16:17with someone
16:18who was laying
16:19in wait
16:19for Ms. Banks
16:21and that they
16:23had staged
16:23the crime scene
16:24to appear
16:25that this was
16:26a burglary
16:26and the burglar
16:27was surprised
16:28by the homeowner
16:29coming home.
16:31The time of death
16:32would have been
16:33from 5.45
16:34to 6 o'clock.
16:40So we had
16:41about a 15-minute
16:42window
16:42that we were
16:43dealing with.
16:44And it appeared
16:45that she was killed
16:46immediately after arriving
16:47home.
16:55I was at home
16:56and they had
16:59sent an autopsy.
17:02And I didn't know
17:03what had happened
17:04to my baby.
17:06I didn't.
17:07And I seen
17:08all them exes
17:09and this
17:10and that.
17:12How many times
17:14she shot,
17:15cut her throat,
17:18cut her up
17:19her stomach.
17:22You don't
17:23butcher a hog
17:24like that.
17:25Crazy.
17:27Crazy.
17:28It's crazy.
17:30There's a lot
17:30of rage
17:31in this crime.
17:32This was a very
17:33violent act.
17:35It was obvious
17:36that this was
17:37some sort
17:38of crime
17:38of passion.
17:44It's an uphill
17:45battle for Mr.
17:46Pittman at this
17:47point because
17:47we're looking
17:48very hard
17:48at Mr.
17:49Pittman
17:49as our suspect.
17:51He fit all
17:52the boxes
17:52of someone
17:53that could
17:53have done
17:54this and
17:54just walked
17:54away from it.
17:55I went to
17:57a restaurant
17:58where Keyon
17:59worked part-time.
18:01Keyon Pittman
18:01moonlights
18:02as a bartender
18:03when he's not
18:04teaching.
18:05I spoke
18:06with several
18:06of Keyon's
18:07colleagues
18:07and they told
18:08me that he had
18:09several different
18:10girls that would
18:11come into that
18:11restaurant and he
18:13would buy drinks
18:13for her.
18:14But he had one
18:15that hung around
18:16a lot.
18:19So now I need
18:20to go to his
18:20main job and
18:21find out exactly
18:22what they know.
18:25He's a schoolteacher
18:26at a Jackson
18:26public school.
18:28I went there
18:29and spoke with
18:30the principal.
18:31He basically
18:31told me that
18:32Keyon had a
18:34really high
18:35reputation for
18:36being a womanizer.
18:40Detectives learned
18:41about the woman
18:41in Keyon's life
18:43who works
18:44at the same school.
18:45This other woman
18:46was also a teacher.
18:49Keyon and
18:50another teacher
18:51were basically
18:52having a relationship.
18:55They were passing
18:56love letters
18:57back and forth.
19:02According to
19:03the medical
19:04examiner,
19:05Avis Banks
19:05died between
19:06545 and 6pm.
19:09Her fiance,
19:10Keyon,
19:11has an alibi,
19:13but is it
19:15airtight?
19:16He told me
19:17that he was
19:18at basketball
19:18practice from
19:19about 530
19:20to 730.
19:24I did speak
19:25with the head
19:26basketball coach
19:27about Keyon
19:28and where he was
19:29at the time
19:30and where he
19:30actually at the
19:31gym.
19:32And he did have
19:32an alibi.
19:34He was indeed
19:34at basketball
19:35practice.
19:37From 530
19:38to about 730.
19:40I feel like
19:42we just hit
19:43a brick wall.
19:44Our true
19:45and only
19:46suspect,
19:47the one that
19:47initially checked
19:48all the boxes,
19:49had just been
19:50given an alibi.
19:51Welcome back.
20:04Ridgely,
20:04Mississippi,
20:052006.
20:06A week
20:06after Thanksgiving,
20:08mom,
20:08Deborah Banks,
20:10is devastated
20:11when her daughter,
20:12Avis,
20:12is found
20:13brutally murdered.
20:15Instead of a
20:16wonderful
20:17and joyous
20:18Christmas
20:19when they
20:19would all
20:20be together
20:21again,
20:22the Banks'
20:22family
20:23is forced
20:24to say
20:24a horrible
20:25and gut-wrenching
20:27goodbye.
20:32Avis'
20:33funeral
20:33was really
20:34emotional.
20:36It was
20:36hard for
20:37everyone.
20:39No person
20:40should have
20:41gone through
20:43what Avis
20:44went through.
20:47Because
20:48we rally
20:50around each
20:50other
20:51as a family,
20:52I think
20:53it helped
20:54in a lot
20:54of ways.
20:56We kind
20:56of leaned
20:56on each
20:57other
20:57to get
20:58through
20:58that day.
21:00I don't
21:00know if
21:01I would
21:02have made
21:02it without
21:03my family.
21:05Fiancee
21:06Keyon Pittman
21:07shows up
21:08at the church.
21:10Avis Banks'
21:10family now
21:11know about
21:12his other
21:13relationships,
21:14and of
21:15course
21:15they give
21:16him a
21:17cool
21:17reception.
21:19When I
21:20found out
21:21that he
21:21was cheating
21:22on Avis,
21:23I was
21:23shocked
21:24and she
21:25didn't
21:26know.
21:28She
21:29didn't
21:29know.
21:32Keyon
21:33tried to
21:34attend
21:35the funeral.
21:37He did
21:38go in
21:38and sit
21:39in the
21:39front.
21:39He waited
21:41till everybody
21:42got in
21:43there.
21:44And he
21:45went to
21:46view the
21:47body.
21:50And he
21:50up there
21:51moaning
21:52and groaning.
21:54And my
21:55daughter,
21:56Latonya,
21:57she started
21:58screaming and
21:59hollering,
22:00what are you
22:00doing up
22:01there?
22:01And she
22:02just went
22:02crazy.
22:03He was
22:04escorted
22:05out.
22:06And we
22:07did go
22:07on with
22:08the funeral.
22:09you can't
22:11cheat off
22:12Avis and
22:13then say
22:13that you
22:14love
22:15Avis.
22:17So I
22:18saw him
22:18as the
22:19enemy
22:19at that
22:20point.
22:20And I
22:21didn't
22:21think he
22:21deserved
22:22to say
22:24goodbye
22:24to her.
22:26When
22:26Avis was
22:27laid to
22:28rest,
22:28really,
22:29really sad
22:29because
22:31I can
22:32say now
22:33she's
22:35gone
22:35but never
22:37forgotten.
22:39The
22:44pressure
22:44was on
22:45for the
22:45detectives
22:45because of
22:46the depravity
22:46of the
22:47crime.
22:47It was
22:48all hands
22:48on deck.
22:49There
22:49was a
22:49murderer
22:50on the
22:50loose.
22:51Keon
22:51may have
22:53wanted
22:53Avis
22:54dead so
22:55that he
22:56could be
22:56a free
22:57man,
22:57but he
22:58had an
22:59alibi.
23:00He
23:00has a
23:00good
23:01alibi
23:01and he's
23:01not
23:02present
23:02at the
23:03time of
23:03death.
23:04So
23:04where do
23:04we go
23:04from
23:05here?
23:05We
23:05have
23:06to
23:06figure
23:06out
23:06who's
23:06responsible
23:07for this
23:08crime.
23:08Is it
23:08someone
23:09that
23:09knows
23:09Mr.
23:10Pittman?
23:10Is it
23:10someone
23:11that
23:11knows
23:11Ms.
23:11Banks?
23:13It's
23:13back to
23:14the
23:14drawing
23:14board
23:15for
23:15Detective
23:15Frank
23:16Dillard.
23:16He
23:17begins
23:17to
23:17take
23:17a
23:17closer
23:18look
23:18at
23:18the
23:18other
23:19women
23:20in
23:21fiancee
23:21Keon
23:21Pittman's
23:22life.
23:25I
23:25went to
23:26Keon's
23:26school.
23:27I
23:27spoke
23:27to
23:27the
23:28principal
23:28and
23:29he
23:29gave
23:29me
23:29a
23:29name.
23:30The
23:30name
23:30that
23:31the
23:31principal
23:31gave
23:31me
23:32that
23:32Keon
23:32apparently
23:33having
23:33in
23:33an
23:33affair
23:34with
23:34was
23:34Carla
23:35Hughes.
23:39Carla
23:39was the
23:40language
23:40arts
23:40teacher
23:41at
23:41Chastain
23:41Middle
23:42School
23:42while
23:43Keon
23:44was
23:44the
23:44math
23:45teacher.
23:46Carla
23:47was a
23:47go-getter.
23:48She had
23:48a great
23:49job.
23:49She had
23:50her
23:50master's
23:50degree.
23:51She was
23:51pursuing
23:51her
23:52PhD.
23:53She
23:53was a
23:53cheerleading
23:54coach.
23:55Carla
23:55had won
23:56several
23:56different
23:57pageants.
23:58She
23:59was a
23:59beauty
23:59queen.
24:00She
24:00rode
24:00horses.
24:02You know,
24:02anything she
24:03wanted to do,
24:03if she could
24:04do.
24:06As luck
24:06would have
24:07it,
24:08when I'm
24:08talking to
24:08the principal,
24:10Carla
24:11Hughes
24:11come into
24:11the school.
24:13She's
24:14sobbing.
24:14She's
24:14crying.
24:16I kind
24:17of stand
24:17back,
24:17and the
24:18principal
24:18said,
24:18that's
24:19Ms.
24:19Hughes.
24:21And I
24:22said,
24:22well,
24:22why are
24:22you crying?
24:23And she
24:24said,
24:24I'm
24:24crying
24:25for
24:25Keon.
24:26That
24:26kind
24:26of took
24:27me aback
24:27because
24:27I'm
24:28thinking,
24:28why are
24:29you crying
24:29for him?
24:30He's
24:30okay.
24:31It's
24:32the
24:32kid
24:32and
24:33the
24:33mom
24:34that
24:34are
24:34dead.
24:36So that
24:36kind of
24:37made me
24:37look at
24:37her in
24:37a different
24:38light.
24:39So I
24:39invited her
24:40back to
24:40the original
24:40police
24:41department
24:41for an
24:43interview,
24:44just to hear
24:44her side of the
24:45story of
24:46anything.
24:46It may be
24:47something,
24:47it may be
24:48nothing.
24:50He showed up
24:51like she said
24:52she would.
24:53So at this
24:54point, we were
24:54just, you know,
24:55talking, and I'm
24:56gathering information.
24:57I asked her
24:59about having
24:59a relationship
25:00or a possible
25:00relationship
25:01with Keon.
25:04But she
25:17eventually told
25:19me, yes,
25:19she had kissed
25:20Keon, or
25:21they had kissed
25:22each other.
25:23But she said
25:23it really didn't
25:24mean anything.
25:24They were more
25:25friends.
25:25People may
25:26have saw us
25:27being affectionate
25:29towards each
25:29other, but at
25:31the most, they
25:32may have just
25:32saw a little
25:33kissing.
25:34But as far as
25:35just like this
25:36full outblown
25:37romantic love
25:38affair, that's
25:39not what it
25:39was.
25:40It really
25:40wasn't.
25:41I digged
25:42deeper into it,
25:43and then she
25:43eventually told
25:44me that they
25:44had slept
25:45together.
25:46Were you two
25:46involved with
25:47each other?
25:48Yes.
25:49Well, why
25:49did you lie to
25:49me earlier?
25:50I didn't lie to
25:51you?
25:51Yes, I simply
25:52asked if I
25:52were romantically
25:53while you said
25:53no.
25:54Detective Dillard
25:58asked Carla
25:59Hughes if she
26:00saw Keon
26:00Pittman on
26:01the day of
26:02the murders.
26:04He told me
26:05he was trying
26:05to go to
26:05the grocery
26:06store, and
26:07then he'd
26:07be at my
26:08house right
26:09after that.
26:11And at
26:114 o'clock,
26:12around 4 or 5,
26:13he was at
26:13my house,
26:14and my
26:14house went
26:15to grocery.
26:17And he
26:18sat in my
26:18house for
26:19about an
26:19hour, so
26:20he left
26:20at 510
26:21when he
26:22was going
26:22to basketball
26:23break.
26:23I'm thinking,
26:25okay, you
26:25got a real
26:26good bond
26:26with this
26:27guy.
26:27If he
26:27can drop
26:27groceries
26:28at your
26:28house and
26:29store them
26:30until he
26:30gets home.
26:31I never
26:32tell you,
26:32hey, look,
26:33I'm not
26:33happy with
26:34Abus.
26:35I'm getting
26:35ready to
26:36leave.
26:37I don't want
26:37her in my
26:37house.
26:39Are you
26:40sure?
26:40Huh?
26:41Did you
26:42ever ask
26:42him to leave
26:42Abus?
26:43No.
26:44We never
26:44talked about
26:45him leaving
26:45her at all.
26:46I never
26:47asked him
26:47to leave
26:48her.
26:48Never
26:48wanted him.
26:49You never
26:49asked him?
26:50Hey, look,
26:51unless you
26:51and I get
26:52together,
26:52after the
26:56interview,
26:57Frank Diller
26:57now starts
26:58to dig
26:59deeper into
27:00Carla Hughes'
27:01background.
27:03Carla had
27:04an unplanned
27:04pregnancy and
27:06was getting
27:06married and
27:07her fiancé
27:08left her
27:09at the
27:10altar the
27:11day before
27:12the wedding.
27:13For whatever
27:13reason, the
27:14guy just
27:15didn't go
27:15through with
27:15it.
27:20Carla
27:20probably did
27:21regenerate
27:21because
27:22Avis was
27:23on the
27:23path to
27:24getting
27:24married.
27:25She was
27:25pregnant.
27:26She got
27:26a house.
27:27She got
27:27a decent
27:28job.
27:30She's
27:30living her
27:30dream.
27:36The
27:36cell phone
27:37records tell
27:37detectives why
27:38Keon Pittman
27:40did not call
27:41911 first
27:42when he found
27:43Avis Banks'
27:43body.
27:44He was on
27:45the phone with
27:45somebody else.
27:46We learned
27:48that Keon was
27:49on the cell
27:50phone with
27:50a lady and
27:51that lady
27:51being Carla
27:53Hughes.
27:53Welcome
28:01back.
28:022006.
28:03Christmas just
28:04two weeks
28:05away.
28:06Shopping in
28:07full swing in
28:08Ridgeland,
28:08Mississippi.
28:09But for
28:10police in
28:11Ridgeland,
28:11there's also a
28:12murder investigation
28:13in full swing.
28:15They want to
28:15know who
28:16savagely
28:17murdered a
28:18beautiful young
28:19mom-to-be,
28:21Avis Banks.
28:22Prime suspect,
28:23fiance,
28:24Keon Pittman.
28:26But he's
28:27got an
28:27ironclad
28:28alibi
28:29for his
28:30whereabouts.
28:31He also
28:31has
28:32a nasty
28:34secret,
28:35a lover,
28:36Carla
28:36Hughes.
28:41What was
28:42so important
28:43that he was
28:43talking to her
28:44about that he
28:44could not
28:45break that
28:46call and
28:46just make
28:47a simple
28:47911 call.
28:49And that's
28:49big-time
28:50suspicious.
28:51That would
28:52definitely
28:52raise suspicion
28:53that,
28:54one,
28:55Miss Hughes
28:56is involved
28:56in this,
28:57and,
28:58two,
28:58Mr. Pittman
28:59may be
28:59involved as
29:00well.
29:01Police
29:02search
29:02Keon Pittman's
29:03phone logs
29:04and they
29:04discover
29:04something
29:05very strange.
29:07When Pittman
29:08says he
29:08discovers
29:09Avis Banks's
29:10body,
29:11he calls
29:11lover,
29:12Carla Hughes,
29:13before he
29:14calls 911.
29:16Why?
29:17Keon
29:18eventually
29:18came in
29:19for a second
29:19interview
29:20and he
29:20did admit
29:21to having
29:21an affair
29:22with Carla.
29:24Are
29:24Keon Pittman
29:25and Carla
29:25Hughes
29:26co-conspirators
29:27in murder?
29:29He said
29:30that he did
29:31go over
29:31to Carla's
29:32house
29:32after he
29:34got off
29:34basketball
29:34practice
29:35and he
29:36left Carla's
29:37house
29:37and went
29:38home and
29:38that's
29:38where he
29:38found
29:39Davis
29:39laying
29:40on the
29:40garage
29:40floor.
29:43Keon
29:44never admitted
29:44that Carla
29:45knew anything
29:46about the
29:46murder.
29:47I mean,
29:47the only thing
29:48he told us
29:48about her
29:48was that
29:49Carla was
29:49being used
29:50for sex
29:50and that
29:51he really
29:51didn't care
29:52a lot
29:52about her.
29:53Keon Pittman
29:54tells police
29:54his lover,
29:55Carla Hughes,
29:56is obsessed
29:57with him.
29:58Is this
29:58a real-life case
30:00of fatal
30:01attraction?
30:02Carla really,
30:04really wanted
30:04him.
30:05She had his
30:06picture by her
30:07bedside and
30:08she had even
30:09introduced him
30:10to her
30:11family
30:11as her
30:13boyfriend.
30:14Keon told
30:14detectives that
30:15Carla had
30:16been putting
30:17pressure on
30:17him to
30:18leave Avis
30:19for her.
30:24On Thanksgiving
30:26day, we
30:28was all
30:28eating dinner
30:29and Keon's
30:31phone just
30:32constantly
30:33was ringing.
30:36I said,
30:37what's
30:39going on?
30:40the phone
30:42just ring,
30:43ring, ring.
30:44Who could
30:45be calling
30:45you like
30:46that?
30:47What do
30:48they want?
30:49Can't they
30:49wait till
30:50you get
30:50back home?
30:52It began
30:53to worry
30:54Avis because
30:55she even
30:56asked him,
30:57you down
30:58here for
30:58the holiday,
31:00why you
31:00on the phone?
31:02Why you
31:02keep getting
31:03on the phone?
31:05Remember
31:05all those
31:06calls Keon
31:07Pittman keeps
31:08making at
31:09Thanksgiving
31:09dinner right
31:10there at
31:11the table
31:11with his
31:12fiancee's
31:12family?
31:13He tells
31:14fiancee
31:15Avis
31:15Banks
31:15they're
31:16from his
31:16mother,
31:18that his
31:18mother wants
31:19him to
31:20come see
31:20her in
31:21Mississippi.
31:23That's a good
31:24story, but it
31:25is not his
31:26mother constantly
31:27calling him.
31:29It's his lover,
31:30Carla Hughes.
31:32Pittman and Avis
31:33Banks head
31:34north to his
31:35mother's home.
31:36Carla actually
31:39followed Keon
31:41and Avis and
31:43rented a hotel
31:43room and she
31:44calls Keon to
31:45come over to
31:46see her, which
31:47he does, and
31:49they have sex.
31:50And then she
31:51wants him to
31:51stay the night,
31:52but Keon
31:53refuses and that
31:55angers Carla.
31:56She wanted him
31:57to be with her.
31:59It angered
32:00Carla that he
32:01was spending time
32:02with Avis and
32:03her family and
32:04not her.
32:04On Thanksgiving,
32:06she tells Keon
32:07that things are
32:07going to change.
32:12Thanksgiving is
32:13what set this
32:14all in motion,
32:15and six days
32:16later, Avis is
32:17dead.
32:20And we did
32:21learn that
32:22Ms. Hughes'
32:23cell phone was
32:24actually hitting
32:24on a tower,
32:25and she was in
32:27the area, in
32:28the vicinity of
32:29the subdivision
32:30where this
32:32murder was
32:33committed.
32:34It showed that
32:36she was within
32:37a two-mile radius
32:38of Avis' and
32:40Keon's home at
32:41the time of the
32:42murder.
32:43This is a big
32:44piece of the
32:44puzzle to be
32:45able to prove
32:46that her cell
32:47phone is hitting
32:48on a tower so
32:48close to that
32:49home.
32:50The cell phone
32:50records may very
32:51well put Carla
32:52Hughes near the
32:53crime scene, but
32:54there's still no
32:55evidence she
32:56committed the
32:57murders.
32:58It's frustrating
33:01for the police
33:02because at this
33:02point, they
33:03don't have a
33:04murder weapon.
33:06Police need a
33:06break in the
33:07case.
33:09And out of the
33:09blue, we got a
33:10phone call.
33:14It's an attorney
33:14from Kansas,
33:15Mississippi, and
33:16he told me that
33:17he has a client
33:19that's related to
33:20Carla Hughes, and
33:22they want to meet
33:23with me to turn in
33:24a gun that might
33:25have been used in
33:26a homicide with
33:27Favis Banks.
33:28The attorney is
33:30representing Patrick
33:31Nash, Carla's
33:33cousin.
33:33Patrick Nash came
33:34to the police
33:35department with his
33:36counsel and told
33:38us that he had
33:39loaned a five-shot
33:40.38 caliber
33:41revolver to Miss
33:43Hughes along with
33:44a hunting knife
33:45before this murder
33:47was committed.
33:48She told Patrick
33:48that she needed the
33:49gun because she
33:50was concerned for
33:51her safety.
33:52She said she was
33:53having some break-ins
33:54in her, in the
33:56area where she
33:56lived.
33:57All right.
33:57She claimed that
33:58someone had tried
33:59to break in on her.
33:59OK.
34:00And then, in the
34:04interim, she asked
34:05Patrick about
34:05borrowing his gun.
34:07I gave her the gun
34:08and a knife at the
34:09same time, same day.
34:12Patrick gave the gun
34:13to Carla for protection
34:16and had five bullets in
34:18it.
34:18And when he got the gun
34:19back, the gun was
34:20empty.
34:21I checked on the
34:23barrel.
34:27It was empty.
34:29When she picked it up,
34:29it was five bullets.
34:30Yeah.
34:34He asked about the
34:36bullets in the gun.
34:38And she said she went
34:39target practicing.
34:41And he said he felt like
34:42something's not going
34:44right here.
34:45At that point, they're
34:45thinking that the gun is
34:46linked to the homicide of
34:48Davis Banks.
34:49And that caller here
34:50used the gun.
34:51This is the smoking gun
34:53in this situation.
34:54And ultimately, that
34:55weapon was matched to
34:57the projectiles that were
34:59taken from Ms. Banks'
35:00body.
35:01That was a clear
35:02ballistic match.
35:03This was our murder
35:04weapon.
35:06Her cousin also gave
35:08her a knife.
35:09But he never got the
35:10knife back.
35:11All this is pointing
35:12toward her.
35:15Detectives now have
35:16P.C., probable cause,
35:18and they execute a
35:19search warrant at
35:20Carla Hughes' apartment.
35:23A positive match will
35:25mean they've got a
35:26slam dunk case.
35:31Search warrant at
35:331701.
35:37The home of
35:38Carla Hughes.
35:41Did not find any
35:45bloody clothes.
35:46Didn't find knife.
35:48This is the
35:48upper-level bedroom.
35:52This is the
35:53closet.
35:54The first pair of
35:55shoes that I saw
35:56were the pair of
35:57Tread safe shoes.
35:58The shoes that we
35:59found in Carla Hughes'
36:00home were a
36:02perfect match to the
36:04impressions on the
36:05door where the door
36:06was kicked at
36:07Ava Spank's home.
36:09The shoes were
36:09matched by Tread
36:10pattern and also
36:11the size of the
36:12shoe.
36:13Individual
36:13characteristics of
36:15the actual
36:15impression were
36:17also matched.
36:19Looking at the
36:19shoes, we saw a
36:21couple of specks of
36:22blood.
36:24Now we know we
36:25got a smoking gun
36:25and a hot pair of
36:26shoes.
36:27If the blood
36:27matches, we got
36:29her.
36:29You got the shoe
36:30Treads.
36:31You got the blood on
36:32the shoes.
36:34You got the gun.
36:35It's not looking good
36:36for Carla at this
36:37point.
36:37Everything's kind
36:38of falling into place
36:39right now.
36:40I'm more than
36:41confident that the
36:42blood on those
36:43shoes is going to
36:43match the blood
36:45from Avis' body.
36:50All we have to do
36:51is send it to the
36:51lab and just wait for
36:52them to tell us,
36:53hey, there was a
36:54match.
36:55So we do that.
36:56We send the shoes to
36:57the lab and got our
36:59results back.
37:01Our results being
37:02not a match.
37:09Welcome back.
37:17Richland, Mississippi
37:18police working through
37:19the holidays to solve
37:21the murder of Avis
37:23Banks and her unborn
37:25baby.
37:25And they are ready to
37:27wrap it up with a
37:29positive DNA match of
37:31their prime suspect.
37:33Then they get a
37:34surprise result from
37:35the lab.
37:36The blood on shoes
37:38belonging to the
37:40prime suspect, Carla
37:41Hughes, is not a
37:43match for the murder
37:44victim, Avis Banks.
37:46Detectives wonder,
37:47what did we miss?
37:50We contacted the
37:51lab and asked, why
37:54didn't we get a match?
37:55I mean, what's going
37:55on?
37:56And we learned that
37:57they were informed to
38:00stay away from the
38:00blood, to swab the
38:02shoes, but not the
38:03actual blood, which to
38:06me does not make
38:07sense.
38:08So we sent it to a
38:10private lab, and we
38:15got our results back.
38:17Our results being, it
38:20was a perfect match,
38:21100%.
38:22The blood that was on
38:26the shoes, it's the
38:28same blood that came
38:29from Avis's body.
38:31Detectives arrest
38:32Carla Hughes, December
38:348, 2006.
38:36Charged with two counts,
38:39capital murder.
38:40The case goes to trial.
38:43The trial was pretty
38:46intense.
38:47Carla's attorney, of
38:48course, accused Keon of
38:50everything.
38:51According to the defense,
38:52Keon killed Avis, because
38:54he didn't want to pay
38:56child support or
38:57anything.
38:58He didn't want the
38:58unborn child.
38:59He really didn't want
39:00marriage because he had
39:01so many other women.
39:02Also, one of the big
39:03factors was that Keon and
39:06Carla wore the same
39:07size shoe, which was a
39:08size nine.
39:09They did say that he wore
39:10those shoes and took
39:12them from her apartment,
39:14committed the murder,
39:15took them back to him, put
39:17them in her apartment, and
39:18went back to the
39:18basketball game.
39:20And where she kept the
39:21gun, that he could have
39:22got the gun, committed the
39:23murder, and put the gun
39:24back as well.
39:25The gun didn't have
39:27Carla Hughes' prints on
39:28it.
39:29When we don't know who
39:30cleaned it, I submit to
39:32you that the womanizer
39:35cleaned it.
39:37Carla Hughes remains
39:38unusually calm for a
39:40person on trial for
39:41murder.
39:44Ms. Hughes appeared very
39:45confident in court.
39:46She was very poised.
39:48During the trial, Carla
39:49was very stoic, unemotional.
39:52Carla appeared like she
39:53thought she had gotten
39:55away with this.
39:56She was doodling his
39:58name.
39:59We found out that she
40:01was planning her wedding.
40:03She was writing.
40:04They gave her a tablet and
40:05a pencil.
40:07She was planning her
40:09wedding with Keon.
40:11Carla thought Keon was in
40:13love with her, that they
40:15was going to get married,
40:16they was going to have a
40:17family.
40:18I really think in her
40:20mind, she thought that
40:23after Avis was gone, that
40:26Keon and her were going to
40:28be together.
40:30There's nothing that anyone
40:31could have told her that
40:34would have made her think
40:35any differently.
40:36Carla Hughes' confidence
40:38begins to slip when lover
40:39Keon Pittman takes the
40:41stand.
40:43When Keon testified and he
40:46said that their relationship
40:48was purely sexual and that
40:50he was not in love with
40:51her, that's when you saw
40:52emotion on Carla's face.
40:55The jury quickly reaches a
40:57verdict.
40:58As to count one, the
40:59verdict, or the sentence is,
41:01we, the jury, find that the
41:02defendant should be sentenced
41:03to life imprisonment without
41:05parole.
41:06As to count two, the
41:09sentence is, we, the jury,
41:11find the defendant should be
41:12sentenced to life imprisonment
41:14without parole.
41:17When I heard the verdict of
41:21guilty, guilty on both, thank
41:26you, Lord.
41:28Thank you, Lord.
41:30That was the greatest news
41:35ever.
41:36I feel like justice had been
41:38served and that Avis would be
41:40able to rest in peace.
41:41This was a calculated crime.
41:44Carla had a plan.
41:46She put that plan into action
41:47and she took two innocent lives
41:51and she's paying for it now.
41:54I believe Carla wanted Avis'
41:59life.
42:00She wanted the husband, the baby,
42:02the house, the life.
42:04She wanted Kion.
42:06But she had to eliminate Avis in
42:09order to have that life.
42:10She'll do whatever it takes to get
42:12what she wants in a bad way, in an
42:15evil way.
42:17The most reasonable thing in her
42:19mind was to get rid of the
42:21problem and in her mind the problem
42:24was Avis.
42:26I think Carla seeing Kion with Avis
42:29on Thanksgiving when she wanted
42:31to be with him really set her off.
42:37Thanksgiving probably pushed her
42:39over the edge.
42:40During the holidays, the families
42:41are coming together.
42:42Who does she have?
42:44The one person she really wants
42:45is with somebody else.
42:47Carla wanted Avis out of the way.
42:55She wanted Kion for all her future
42:57Thanksgivings.
42:58I honestly can't imagine what it's
43:00like
43:00to
43:04lose a loved one
43:08and a grandbaby.
43:15I can't imagine what the Banks family
43:17experiences, especially through the
43:22holidays and how close this was to
43:24Thanksgiving and then having to
43:28experience that first Christmas
43:30without her.
43:34Carla Hughes now serving life
43:37behind bars at the Central
43:39Mississippi CI Correctional Institute
43:42for Women.
43:43Fiancee Kion Pittman
43:46not charged
43:47with any involvement
43:49in Avis' murder.
43:51As determined,
43:52Carla Hughes
43:53acted
43:54completely
43:55alone.
44:03Thanksgiving
44:04was the last time
44:08that we seen
44:09Avis alive.
44:16Avis
44:16will always
44:19live inside of me.
44:21I think about her
44:22every day.
44:24I talk to Avis
44:25because her pictures
44:25are everywhere.
44:28I love you, Avis.
44:29I would love for Avis
44:33to be remembered
44:34for who she was,
44:37which was this light,
44:39kind-spirited
44:40person.
44:44Avis will not
44:45ever be forgotten.
44:48Ever.
44:49Obsession,
45:06revenge,
45:07and finally,
45:08murder.
45:09The tragic case
45:11of Avis Banks
45:12really does turn out
45:13to be a real-life
45:15fatal attraction.
45:16I'm Nancy Grace.
45:19Thank you for joining us
45:20here on
45:22The Christmas Killings.
45:23The Christmas Killings
45:46at The Christmas Killings.
45:54The Christmas Killings
45:55Avis
45:55The Christmas Killings
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