Naman Shrestha
The entire community of Aurora, Colorado, was shocked to the core in April 2018 when 28-year-old Kiara Livingston was found dead. As the detectives dug deeper into the case, they came across various witness accounts and a series of evidence that eventually led them to the perpetrator/s responsible for the crime. The episode titled ‘Murder in Disguise’ of Investigation Discovery’s ‘The Murder Tapes’ chronicles the homicide case and the investigation that followed, with insightful interviews with Kiara’s loved ones and the officials involved.
Kiara Livingston Was Fatally Shot in Her Car in Aurora, Colorado
Born on June 29, 1989, Kiara Shanae Livingston was known for her compassionate and amicable personality. Described as kind and loving, she had the ability to light up even the dullest of rooms by her mere presence. Kiara was also a mother to two adorable young daughters, whom she doted on. So, when fate suddenly intervened and her life was abruptly cut short, her family and friends were shocked and devastated. On April 14, 2018, the authorities were called to 940 South Iola Street in Aurora, Colorado, where they discovered 28-year-old Kiara Livingston in critical condition. She was rushed to the Medical Center of Aurora, where she was pronounced dead. The autopsy revealed that the cause of her death was multiple gunshot wounds. Thus, a homicide investigation was immediately launched.
Kiara Livingston’s Killer Had an Argument With Her Before the Shooting
It was a woman named Latasha Grimes-Kelly who called 911 and informed the authorities about the shooting incident. When questioned by the officers on the site, she told them that she was in the car with Kiara Livingston. She revealed, “I’m asking (Livingston) ‘What’s going on?’ and she’s about to start talking to me, and somebody opened this door and just started shooting.” Latasha had also suffered a few minor injuries, but played dead after getting out of the passenger seat of the car. When it was safe, she called the authorities. It turned out that Latasha’s brother, Cleveland Vernon Grimes IV, was romantically involved with Kiara at the time.
Upon digging deeper into their casual relationship, they learned that the two were in constant communication through the night of April 13 and the early hours of April 14. Kiara’s friends told the authorities that Cleveland was possessive of his girlfriend and wanted her to be a stay-at-home woman. Around 4:30 am on the fateful morning, Kiara reportedly met Cleveland outside his townhouse at 940 South Iola Street in Aurora, Colorado. The couple got into a heated altercation, after which she got in her car to leave. That’s when he approached her car, armed with a handgun, and shot her five times, while his sister was in the passenger seat.
He then reportedly fled the scene in an older-model Buick or Oldsmobile. The detectives found Cleveland’s fingerprints on various parts of Kiara’s car and confirmed through cell phone records that he was talking to her in the hours prior to the shooting. Armed with enough evidence, the detectives obtained an arrest warrant against him. About six days after her murder, the suspect was finally arrested and held at the Arapahoe County Detention Center without bond. The authorities later discovered that he had gotten in trouble with the law before, as he had felony menacing and DUI charges against him.
Cleveland Grimes is Currently Incarcerated at a Colorado Prison Facility
A few months later, on October 19, 2018, Cleveland Vernon Grimes IV pleaded not guilty to the first-degree murder charge and weapon possession charge in connection with the shooting death of 28-year-old Kiara Shanae Livingston. In June 2019, his homicide trial got underway. During the week-long trial, the prosecution presented witness statements and forensic evidence that proved the defendant’s guilt. Meanwhile, the defense argued that Cleveland was innocent and had nothing to do with the murder. In the end, on June 25, 2019, the jury deliberated for less than four hours and convicted him of killing Kiara.
During his sentencing hearing on July 11, 2019, many of Kiara Livingston’s loved ones took the stand and talked about her. Her aunt stated, “I’m walking around with my heart shattered and in pieces. Grief is the final act of love. We will continue to keep her in our hearts and continue to love on her daughters. We see her when we look at them.” Another young woman addressed the court, stating, “Kiara was my friend – she was so genuine, so beautiful, so smart and so kind. This person took away a true jewel from us. He knew that, and he knew what he was doing to her kids.” Ultimately, Cleveland Grimes was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. As of today, 43-year-old Cleveland Grimes is serving his sentence at Colorado State Penitentiary in Cañon City, Colorado.
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