Naman Shrestha
In Investigation Discovery’s ‘Mean Girl Murders: Desperate Texas Housewives,’ the focus is on the mysterious murder of a single mother named Kelli Underwood, who was found dead inside her Princeton, Texas, residence in September 2017 by her own daughter. As the detectives uncovered some rivalries and motives during the investigation, they found out that the murder might involve multiple perpetrators. The documentary also features emotional yet insightful interviews with the deceased’s loved ones, who talk about the untimely death and its impact on their lives.
Kelli Underwood Was a Resilient Woman Who Lived Life on Her Own Terms
A native of Mesquite, Texas, Kelli Lea Graham was born on May 23, 1971, to Timothy and Ellen Graham. While growing up in Dallas County, Kelli not only had the love and care of her parents, but she also had the support of her siblings — Ginger, Amber, and Timothy Jr. AKA Bubba — who were always by her side. She obtained her early education from Mesquite High School and graduated in 1989. Kelli grew up to be a free-spirited young woman who was full of love and hope for the world. She radiated warmth and positivity, and always had words of encouragement for those who needed it. As her family was her topmost priority, she cherished every moment she spent with them. She was especially cheery during the holidays and would enthusiastically contribute to the decorations. In her downtime, she loved to hang out with her friends or break into a karaoke session. Kelli harbored a deep passion for crafting and often created thoughtful scrapbooks.
Kelli’s personal life was packed with ups and downs. She tied the knot when she was quite young. However, cracks soon developed in their marriage, ultimately leading to them going their separate ways. Per reports, the young woman gave love another chance and got married again, but it didn’t work out either. Regardless, Kelli was grateful for her three kids, whom she considered a blessing. Her world revolved around her two daughters, Karli and Kayden Graham, and a son, Xander. While she faced challenges juggling between her responsibilities at work and home, she was determined to do everything in her power to give her kids a life worth living and ensure they always felt loved and cared for. Even when life got difficult, Kelli always managed to smile.
The year 2001 brought an unfortunate development for Kelli as she learnt she had a life-threatening tumor in her brain. While she got it removed, she was left dealing with partial paralysis as well as depression. For about three decades of her life, Kelli lived in the Rodeo Capital of Texas. However, she desperately desired an environmental shift. Therefore, she packed her bags and relocated to Princeton in Collin County, where she found a home in the residence of her high school buddy, Tiffany Welborn. There, the mother of three secured employment as a welder at a metal fabrication business, which was owned and operated by Tiffany’s husband, Ronnie. She eventually got promoted to a post at the front office. One thing led to another, and Kelli and Ronnie fell for each other. It ultimately led to the separation of Ronnie and Tiffany.
The Mother of Three Was Found Dead in Her House
A while later, in the Spring of 2017, Kelli was eager to start a new chapter of her life in her new abode in the city. Having recently become an empty nester, she had surprisingly begun to appreciate the solitude when tragedy struck. After no contact with Kelli for days, Kayden grew concerned and rushed to her residence on September 20, 2017. When she received no response at the door, she let herself inside. Her heart sank with each step she took as she looked for her mother. Sadly, Kayden received the shock of her life when she discovered her beloved mother in one of the rooms upstairs, lying on the floor. She immediately called the police, who arrived at the scene and declared the 46-year-old dead.
According to the autopsy, Kelli died from being shot and stabbed multiple times during the late hours of September 16 and the early hours of September 17. The authorities also uncovered five shell casings of .22 caliber from the crime scene. Alongside that, silverware and a camera monitor were also logged into evidence. Furthermore, cigarette butts were also obtained from the backyard. The officials also took DNA samples from the fingernails of the Princeton resident.
Jealousy Turned Out to be the Motive Behind Kelli Underwood’s Murder
Since the murder of Kelli Underwood was committed using two different weapons, the authorities believed that there might be two perpetrators. As part of the investigation, they interviewed her loved ones, colleagues, and acquaintances. When they talked to her employer, Ronnie Welborn, he directed them to one of his friends named Robert Veal, who did some work at Kelli’s house. This was corroborated by the neighbors’ accounts, as they claimed to have seen a couple of men visit her house on September 16, a few days before the murder. However, the detectives soon learned that Ronnie and Kelli were involved in a romantic affair while going through the latter’s phone records. As per her daughter, Kayden, Kelli had an on-and-off relationship with Ronnie.
Their relationship allegedly deteriorated when he started seeing another young woman named Kadie Robinson, who became pregnant with his child. After they moved in together, Kelli reportedly broke up with Ronnie but remained friends. The fact that she was still in his life and workplace didn’t sit well with Kadie, who had a verbal brawl with her just a week before the murder. Both of them were questioned separately. While Ronnie admitted to still being in love with Kelli and being with her on the afternoon of September 15, Kadie told the investigators that she didn’t like her but claimed that she had nothing to do with the killing. Since they had solid alibis, they were released after the questioning.
Two Killers Were Hired to Carry Out the Killing
On September 16, Robert Veal was with another man at Kelli’s house. With the help of one of her neighbors, they realized that it was someone known as “D” — Delvin Powell. It turned out that he had an outstanding warrant of arrest against his name for an unrelated domestic violence charge. After tracking him down at a Princeton-area motel, he was arrested and questioned about his involvement in Kelli’s murder. He claimed that he worked with Robert at her house on September 16, but she was alive when he left the property. A couple of weeks later, they interviewed Robert, whose claims were similar to Delvin’s. However, when they went through Robert’s phone, they found out that he had been talking with Kadie Robinson.
When the DNA of Delvin and Robert was found on some items found at the crime scene, they started digging deeper. Upon questioning Kadie again on November 15, she blamed Ronnie for hiring Robert to kill Kelli. Next, the detectives interviewed Ronnie, who was told about Kadie’s allegations against him. In response, he told them that he had given the gun that took Kelli’s life to Delvin and Robert and paid them $8,000 to carry out the killing. Although Ronnie didn’t throw the mother of his child under the bus, the police learned that she was also heavily involved in the plotting of the murder. Ultimately, on November 16, 2017, Ronnie Welborn, Kadie Robinson, Robert Veal, and Delvin Powell were officially charged with capital murder.
The Four Accomplices Are Serving Their Respective Terms in Texas Prison Facilities
Out of the four accused, Delvin Ajair Powell was the first one to stand trial for the murder of Kelli Underwood. In August 2019, he was convicted of capital murder, and the following month, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. A few months later, in February 2020, Robert Samuel Veal met with the same fate — a conviction and a life imprisonment sentence. Finally, in October of the same year, Ronnie Keith Welborn pleaded guilty to being involved in the killing of Kelli and received a life imprisonment sentence with a possibility for parole.
As for Kadie Elizabeth Robinson, she also pleaded guilty to murder, but she was sentenced to 30 years in prison. While Robert Veal is serving his sentence at O. B. Ellis Unit in Huntsville, Texas, Delvin Powell is incarcerated at Jim Ferguson Unit in Midway, Texas. The conspirators and orchestrators of the killing, Ronnie and Kadie, are incarcerated at separate prisons, Jim Ferguson Unit and Marlin Unit, respectively. The former has a parole eligibility date scheduled for November 2047, while Kadie’s parole eligibility date is scheduled for November 2032.
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