On a quiet December night in West Palm Beach, Florida, a home that once held the sounds of family life became the scene of a tragedy that would shock an entire community. What started as an ordinary evening inside a shared household quickly spiraled into a violent nightmare. By the end of the night, 36-year-old Kaladaa Crowell and her 11-year-old daughter, Kyra Inglett, had lost their lives in an act of brutal violence that left neighbors and loved ones struggling to understand how something so horrific could happen so suddenly.
Kaladaa Crowell was known as a devoted mother who worked hard to provide a safe and loving environment for her daughter. Kyra was described by those who knew her as a bright and energetic young girl with a kind heart and a contagious smile. The pair had been living in a home shared with others, including 27-year-old Marlin Larice Joseph. To those on the outside, it appeared to be a normal living arrangement—one of many households where extended families and friends shared space to make life more affordable.
But beneath the surface, tensions had been building.
On December 28, 2017, those tensions erupted into deadly violence. According to investigators, an argument broke out inside the home. What began as a dispute quickly escalated beyond control. In a moment fueled by anger and rage, Joseph pulled out a firearm and shot Kaladaa Crowell inside the residence. The violence did not stop there.
Hearing the chaos, young Kyra attempted to escape the house and run to safety. Terrified and desperate, the 11-year-old fled outside, hoping to get away from the danger unfolding around her. But her attempt to escape ended tragically. Joseph chased after her and shot the young girl multiple times, killing her just steps away from the place she had called home.
The brutality of the crime stunned investigators and neighbors alike. A mother and daughter had been murdered within moments of each other, turning a quiet neighborhood into the center of a heartbreaking criminal investigation.
After the shootings, Joseph fled the scene, sparking a search by law enforcement. Authorities worked quickly to track him down, gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses to piece together what had happened that night. Eventually, he was located and arrested, bringing an end to the manhunt but offering little comfort to a grieving community.
The case moved through the courts over the following years, as prosecutors presented evidence of the horrific crime and the impact it had on the victims’ families. During the trial, jurors heard about the final moments of both Kaladaa and Kyra—details that left many in the courtroom shaken.
In 2020, Marlin Larice Joseph was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder. A jury later recommended the death penalty, and a judge ultimately sentenced him to death.
For the families and friends of Kaladaa Crowell and Kyra Inglett, the pain of that night remains immeasurable. A loving mother and her young daughter were taken far too soon, leaving behind memories that can never replace the lives that were lost.
Their story remains a haunting reminder of how quickly anger and violence can destroy lives—and how a single night can forever change an entire community.
