Swift, Brutal & Targeted: Khadija Derry

In this episode of Hunting 4 Answers: On December 6th, 2023, 22-year-old Khadija Derry was gunned down while sitting in her car outside her family’s home in Converse, Texas. What began as a peaceful evening ended in a hail of bullets—nearly 20 rounds fired into her vehicle in what police say was a targeted killing. As the investigation unfolds, Khadija’s family is left trapped in a cycle of grief and unanswered questions. Anyone with information about this case should contact the Converse Police Department Investigative Section at [phone], or reach Detective Sanchez directly at ext. 254 or [e-mail]. 

This is the story of Khadija Derry. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hunting for Answers is a production of the Black Effect
Podcast Network and iHeartRadio. Welcome to Hunting for Answers, a
true crime podcast. I'm your host Hunter, and today we're
discussing a case that took place in Converse, Texas on
December sixth, twenty twenty three. This case shocked a community

(00:22):
when a twenty two year old woman was gunned down
in what police believe was a targeted attack. Nearly twenty
bullets were fired into her car as she sat outside
her family's home. This is the story of Kadija Dairy.

(00:43):
Kadija Ayana Dairy was born on November sixth, two thousand
and one, in San Antonio, Texas. By twenty twenty three,
she was twenty two years old. A young woman with
her whole life ahead of her, Kadija was the kind
of person who brought way to everyone around her. She
lived in Converse, Texas, which was a small city just

(01:06):
outside of San Antonio. She was loved by her family
and friends, but nothing could have prepared them for the
horror that would unfold on that December evening, December sixth,
twenty twenty three. It was a Wednesday evening when Kadija

(01:27):
Dairy was sitting in her car outside the family's home
on Arundel Garden. It was a quiet residential street, the
kind of place where neighbors knew each other and children
played safely in their yards. Suddenly, the calm evening was
shattered by gunfire. A four door vehicle pulled up near

(01:49):
Kadija's car, and someone inside opened fire. What happened next
was nothing short of execution style violence. Kadija was shot
more than a dozen times. Some reports say nearly twenty
bullets struck her as she sat defenseless in her car.

(02:11):
The attack was swift, brutal, and, according to police, targeted.
This wasn't a random shooting or a robbery gone wrong.
Someone had come to kill Kadija Derry. When the shooting stopped,
the attackers fled, leaving behind a young woman's lifeless body

(02:35):
and a family whose lives would never be the same.
The investigation began immediately Converse police knew they were dealing
with something extraordinary. The sheer number of bullets fired and
the targeted nature of the attack suggested that this was

(02:57):
more than your typical homicide. Within months, the case had
attracted the attention of federal authorities, the FBI and Secret
Service joined the investigation, bringing additional resources and expertise to
the case. But despite the high level attention, the investigation

(03:19):
proved to be more challenging than anyone expected. As days
turned to weeks, and the weeks turned into months, Kadija's
family waited for answers. Her mother, Kuquanta Perkins, found herself
living in a nightmare that seemed to have no end.

(03:41):
You would think at ninety days it gets easier, her
mother said, three months after her daughter's murder. But for me,
it has gotten worse. The family described the crime as hateful,
believing their daughter had been specifically targeted, but by whom
and why. The case began to gain national and even

(04:05):
international attention. A Facebook group called Justice for Kadijah Darry
was created, drawing supporters from as far as the United Kingdom.
People around the world were sharing kadija story, spreading awareness
and demanding justice for a young woman whose life was

(04:26):
tragically cut short. But despite the growing attention, police still
had no arrests to announce. Then, after months of investigation,
there was finally a breakthrough. Police arrested nineteen year old
Joe Isaac Lee Yanez in connection with Kadija's murder. The

(04:49):
arrest warrant revealed that police had recovered a nine millimeter
gun and other items from Yunez's home. Finally, it seemed
the family might get some answers, but this suspect's arrest
would prove to be only the beginning of a very

(05:11):
complex legal saga. In April twenty twenty four, four months
after Kadija's murder, one of the two suspects in the
case was killed. The circumstances of this death remain unclear,
but it meant that half of the suspected perpetrators would

(05:31):
never face justice. Meanwhile, the investigation continued. Police had identified
that second suspect, a juvenile whose identity remained protected due
to their age. This teenager was linked to a local
gang known for armed robberies, narcotics, trafficking, and homicides. In

(05:58):
early May twenty five, the juvenile suspect was arrested. Finally,
it seemed like this time the family might actually see
justice for Kadidia's murder. But then, in a shocking turn
of events, the teen suspect was released. According to reports,

(06:20):
the case was not filed by a legal deadline, though
the Bexar County District Attorney's Office disputed this claim, the
family was left devastated after waiting more than a year
for justice, They watched as one of the suspected killers
just walked free. On November six, twenty twenty four, what

(06:43):
would have been Kadida's twenty third birthday, her mother spoke
to students and community members about losing a daughter to
senseless gunfire. Hukwanda had become an advocate, turning her pain
into something that really could help others. She spoke about
the devastating impact of gun violence on families and communities.

(07:05):
But even as she work to prevent other families from
experiencing her pain, the questions still remained. Would her daughter's
killers ever face justice. From Converse, Texas to the United Kingdom,
people have refused to let Kadija's story be forgotten. Her

(07:28):
family continues to hold on to hope, knowing that somewhere
out there, people responsible for their daughter's death may still
be free. My thoughts and prayers are with the family
and friends of Kadijah Darry. Today, her case remains partially unresolved.
While some progress has been made in the investigation, the

(07:50):
family's quest for complete justice still continues. Anyone with information
about this case to contact the Converse Police of Apartment
Investigation Section. You can find their contact information in the
description box below. As we close out this episode, don't
forget to click the follow button to stay updated on

(08:11):
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you are watching us on YouTube, let us know your
thoughts on this case down in the comments. Thank you
so much for joining us on another episode. Until next time.

(08:48):
Hunting for Answers is a production of the Black Effect
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