In hearing punctuated with tears, orchestrator of Zaria McKeever killing gets life in prison
In a packed courtroom punctuated with emotion, the man who orchestrated the home invasion and killing of his ex-girlfriend by a pair of teenage brothers was sentenced to life in prison Friday, bringing to an end the latest chapter in a case that drew outrage from relatives and community members, who successfully pressed for intervention by Gov. Tim Walz.
Erick Haynes received the sentence for first-degree intentional murder while committing a felony less than two weeks after he pled guilty for his role in 23-year-old Zara McKeever's shooting death. Haynes, 23, was indicted on two counts of first-degree murder and charged with two counts of aiding and abetting second-degree murder in the killing of McKeever, the mother of his child. The remaining murder counts were dismissed at sentencing. Haynes will be eligible for parole after 30 years.
McKeever's family members looked on as Judge William Koch delivered the sentence following a string of tearful victim impact statements. Her mother, Maria Greer, recalled the devastation of learning that a man who once called her "Mom" had plotted her child's death.
"Zaria sure as hell didn't deserve this fate," said Greer, as a slideshow flashed with McKeever's pictures on a large screen TV beside her. "He was supposed to love her, take care of her," she said, pausing as her voice strained with emotion. "Protect her!" a supporter interjected from the audience.
Attorney General Keith Ellison sat watching from the gallery, where two dozen supporters wiped their eyes.
"Zaria had so much life ahead of her. It was stolen out of pure hate, evil, and jealousy," said McKeever's older sister, Tiffynnie Epps. "He is a coward. My sister was the best thing that happened to his whole family and when he realized he couldn't use her anymore, he disposed of her."
Haynes sat quietly, eyes fixed down, never meeting the gaze of from people he used to consider family. When given a chance to address the court, Haynes stood and told the judge: "I just wanna say sorry to the family of Ms. McKeever."
All five of the people involved in McKeever's killing have now pled guilty to their roles in the slaying or to protecting Haynes after the fact.
Foday Kevin Kamara, 17, of Brooklyn Park, pled guilty March 22 to aiding and abetting second-degree intentional murder and is expected to receive a 10-year sentence. He admitted to killing McKeever alongside his older brother, John Kamara, then 17, at the behest of Haynes, who armed the teens and drove them in his sister's car to the apartment of McKeever's new boyfriend. Foday, then just 15, unleashed a flurry shots after the brothers broke the door down and confronted McKeever. She was struck five times at close range.
John Kamara accepted a plea deal offer from Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty last March before Ellison took over prosecution. After mounting pressure from McKeever's family over Moriarty's plea deal offers that would spare the teens prison time and were decried as too lenient, Gov. Tim Walz reassigned the case to Ellison at his request.
Moriarty offered the brothers a deal to avoid adult prison and adult certification. John Kamara accepted it before Ellison and Walz intervened on Foday's case. John agreed to serve about a two-year sentence at the juvenile correctional facility in Red Wing and be placed on a form of extended probation that holds an adult sentence over his head until he's 21.
Haynes' sister and brother-in-law are also charged with felony aiding an offender after the fact. Koch conditionally accepted guilty pleas from Eriana and Tavion James, both 24, in the hours following Haynes' guilty plea April 1, just before he was slated to go to trial.
Haynes' Friday sentencing followed a prayer vigil at Shiloh Temple in north Minneapolis, where 25 supporters gathered to honor the young mother's all-too-brief life. Loved ones clutched framed photos and wore pins displaying McKeever's smiling face and reflected on their hard-fought battle to find justice over the last 16 months.
The family wanted longer sentences, particularly for the juveniles who pulled the trigger on Nov. 8, 2022, but thanked the Attorney General's office for taking up the case and securing tougher sanctions for everyone involved in the home invasion.
"These are results we can live with," said her stepfather, Paul Greer. He and Maria are left to raise their 2 ½-year-old granddaughter, Zanay-Dior, who's forced to grow up without either parent.
"We can't replace her mother, but we can show her love she would've wanted us to."
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