Episode 122: Riverview Murders: Ronnie O'Neal III

Fathers often hold irreplaceable roles within a home but what they can bring into a family, they can also take away. In 2018, in the quiet suburb of Riverview, Florida, a tragedy unfolded that would haunt an entire community. Kenyatta Barron was a devoted mother, a woman of faith, and someone who always tried to do right by the people she loved. So when her on-again, off-again boyfriend and father of her children, Ronnie Oneal III needed a place to stay, she opened her door to him. She believed she was doing the right thing. But sometimes, even the kindest intentions can put us in the path of unimaginable darkness. On a cool March night, a desperate 911 call came through. A young woman, panicked and struggling to speak, cried out that she’d been shot. The dispatcher pleaded for an address, but the only thing that came back were screams.  When officers finally reached the home, they stepped into a scene that felt torn from a nightmare. Kenyatta lay on the front lawn, gravely wounded. Behind her, the house was engulfed in flames. What investigators would soon uncover inside and what would later unfold in a courtroom left even seasoned professionals stunned. This is a story about trust, betrayal, and a crime so horrific it shook Riverview to its core. And it’s a reminder that sometimes, the greatest evil isn’t lurking in the shadows, it's already inside the home.

 

Sources:

Wikipedia – Riverview murders - Riverview murders - Wikipedia

Wikipedia – Riverview, Florida - Riverview, Florida - Wikipedia

Fox 13 Tampa Bay – Ronnie Oneal found guilty of 2018 double-murder of family; attempted murder of son – June 21, 2021 - Ronnie Oneal found guilty of 2018 double-murder of family; attempted murder of son | FOX 13 Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay Times – Why would a man attack his family? – Tony Marrero - March 20, 2018

Tampa Bay Times – Man charged in attack on family wants son protected – Dan Sullivan - May 2, 2018

Tampa Bay Times – Acting in his own defense – Dan Sullivan – June 8, 2021

Tampa Bay Times – Social media memes anger judge, victims’ survivors – Anastasia Dawson – June 24, 2021

Youtube – WFLA News Channel  8 – Woman, girl killed in Riverview  - Youtube - Woman, girl killed in Riverview

Youtube - Fox 13 Tampa Bay – Deputies: Woman and girl dead after man attacks family, sets home on fire - YouTube - Deputies: Woman and girl dead after man attacks family

YouTube – WFLA News Channel 8 – Jury selection beings Monday in trial of Riverview man accused of killing woman, child

Find a Grave – Obituary - Kenyatta Barron - https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/188794344/kenyatta-barron