19-year-old Chrystul Kizer is facing life in prison for allegedly killing 34-year-old Randall Volar III, an accused pedophile, who allegedly abused her.
When the news of this story began making its rounds on social media – everyone immediately compared it to Cyntoia Brown’s case.
If you’re unfamiliar with this case, I have listed several quick facts below to catch you up to speed.
The Killing
Randall Volar III paid for an Uber to bring 17-year-old Chrystul Kizer to his Milwaukee home on June 5, 2018.
Sometime after arriving, Chrystul took a selfie in Randall’s home and posted it on Facebook.
Less than five hours later, Chrystul shot Randall twice in the head with a handgun her 21-year-old boyfriend had purchased for her.
The boyfriend told detectives Chrystul said she was “tired of the dude touching on her” and that she had planned to shoot him.
After shooting Randall Volar III, Chrystul Kizer set his house on fire, took his laptop, cash, and his BMW.
Chrystul picked up three other teens, two boys, and another girl, in Volar’s car and went to Family Dollar to purchase items with the money she took from him. Then, she abandoned Volar’s car near the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee.
A cellphone was found in Volar’s car and it had photos of the teens on it. One of the teens in the photos was Chrystul’s 16-year-old brother. When he was questioned by police, he gave them her address.
Facebook Live
Three days after shooting Randall Volar III (June 8), Chrystul went live on Facebook and showed off the ammunition and the gun she allegedly used in the murder. In the live, Chrystul said she “wasn’t afraid to kill again” and made references to a rich white individual.
Chrystul’s boyfriend eventually interrupted the live and told her not to talk about the murder on camera.
The Confession
When pressed by police, Chrystul Kizer said she didn’t know Randall Volar III.
When the police presented her with undeniable evidence, Chrystul admitted Randall had helped her “with money and places to stay.”
Chrystul told police her friend shot Randall.
A detective then showed her an unspent .380-round found in her residence that matched a casing found in Randall’s burned home.
That’s when Chrystul Kizer broke down and admitted she had “gotten upset” and was “tired” of him touching her so she grabbed the gun from her purse and said she was “going to do it” before pulling the trigger.
Chrystul admitted she was inspired by the TV crime show, “Criminal Minds” to start the fire to cover her tracks.
The Charges
Chrystul Kizer has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide, operating a vehicle without owner’s consent, arson, bail jumping and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
If convicted, she faces a mandatory life sentence.
Criminal History
At the time of his death, Randall Volar III had pending charges of second-degree sexual assault of a child, child enticement-prostitution and use of a computer to facilitate a child sex crime.
An investigation was launched on February 12, 2018, after a 15-year-old girl called 911 and reported a man had given her drugs and was going to kill her.
Police found the teen wandering in an area near Volar’s home with only a bra and an unzipped jacket. She told police she had taken LSD.
The 15-year-old told police she met Randall when she responded to his ad on Backpage. She said she had been having sex with him since she was 14.
The teen said Volar was having sex with other underage girls and filming it – including a girl named Chrystul.
Police served a warrant on Volar’s home and seized hundreds of videos and photos of underage girls in sexual acts.
On May 24, 2018, District Attorney Michael Graveley received a referral from Kenosha Police for charges against Randall Volar III.
The follow-up arrived the same day Randall’s body was found.
Police say Volar had “over $500,000 in his bank account that was flagged by the bank as evidence of human trafficking.”
Chrystul Kizer appeared in Milwaukee County court one day before the fire was reported to plead guilty to felony fleeing in another case.
Chrystul was driving a stolen car with two male juveniles as passengers. She would not pull over for police and took off.
The officer recognized her from previous run ins and arrested Chrystul the next day at her home. She admitted to driving the car, but said she had no knowledge it was stolen.
Chrystul did admit her involvement in 20 car thefts targeting Jeeps on Milwaukee’s south side.
She was out on $400 bail when she killed Randall Volar III.
Support For Chrystul
Cyntoia Brown-Long, a victim of childhood sex trafficking, who shot and killed a man who purchased her for sex when she was 16 years old, took to social media in support of Chrystul Kizer.
Cyntoia was granted clemency by former Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam after serving 15 years in prison.
News Coverage:
*UPDATE*
Chrystul Kizer was released on Monday (June 22) on $400,000 bail paid for by the Chicago Community Bond Fund.
“We are elated to know Chrystul will no longer be locked in a cage simply for wanting to live,” the bond fund said in a statement. “No one should be incarcerated for surviving violence against them.”
Let me know your thoughts on Chrystul Kizer’s case.
Sources: Kenosha News, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, ABC News, CNN
Let her free