Avis Banks, a young mother-to-be, was brutally killed in the garage of her home in Ridgeland, Mississippi, two days after Thanksgiving in November 2006. The case took an unexpected turn as authorities rushed to find leads in what appeared to be a burglary gone wrong. Her fiancee turned out to have his own secrets, which eventually led them to the murderer. ‘American Monster: With Honors’ on Investigation Discovery dives into the story of Avis’ sad end. So, how about we find out more about this case?
How Did Avis Banks Die?
In a family of three daughters, Avis Banks was the middle child of Fred and Debra Banks. She loved reading since she was a child and eventually graduated from university in 2001. She majored in child development and aspired to open a childcare center for the poor. Avis met Keyon Pittman in 2004 and the two moved in together after a six-month courtship. After then, Avis’ fortunes began to improve. She was five months pregnant and engaged to be married to Keyon at the time of the incident.
However, when Keyon returned home on November 29, 2006, he discovered an unresponsive Avis on the garage floor. Authorities arrived at the site after a neighbor dialed 911 about 8:45 p.m. On the driver’s side of the car, Avis was positioned. He was shot once in the head, twice in the chest, and once in the leg. She was also stabbed three times and had her neck cut. Because Avis’ pants were pulled down, there appeared to be symptoms of sexual assault, but investigators ultimately ruled this out.
Who Killed Avis Banks?
Although the property appeared to have been looted, authorities suspect the image was manufactured. A shoeprint found on the house’s glass door was recovered for further investigation. Avis was ambushed in the garage immediately after arriving from her daycare center employment, according to the police. When the authorities inquired about Keyon’s whereabouts, he stated that he was at basketball practice at the school where he taught and coached.
The police interviewed Keyon’s classmates since he was still deemed a possible suspect. They stumbled encountered Carla Hughes, a 25-year-old woman who appeared to be in a lot of pain. She claimed to be good friends with Keyon when questioned. That was not the case, as the authorities quickly discovered. Keyon was found to be cheating on Avis with Carla. Since August of 2006, they had been dating.
Carla finally admitted to having an affair with Keyon, but she didn’t tell the cops the entire depth of it. They utilized school pupils as messengers and had even managed to go away for a weekend getaway. Carla, on the other hand, said that Avis was aware of her Keyon relationship. No evidence linked Carla or Keyon to the murder, however. Carla’s cousin, Patrick Nash, came out with some shocking information, and that changed everything.
Carla had borrowed a gun and a knife from Patrick for protection days before the murder, according to Patrick. She returned the firearm, a.38 revolver, sometime after Avis was killed. A ballistics analysis revealed that this was the murder weapon. Avis was killed between 5:50 and 6:00 p.m. that evening, according to officials. Carla claimed to be at home at the time, but cellphone data showed she was near the area of the incident.
Carla was brought to trial in October of 2009. “There was no long term,” Keyon testified, adding that his relationship with Carla was not significant for him. Speaking of myself, it was — it was sexual, caught up in the moment. Carla was never part of a long-term strategy.” Carla, according to Keyon, introduced him to her acquaintances as her future spouse and had previously pursued him and Avis. Furthermore, the shoes found at Carla’s house matched the shoeprint found at the crime scene. According to the show, they also had blood spatter on them that matched Avis’ blood.
Where is Carla Hughes Now?
Carla was found guilty of two charges of capital murder after an eight-hour jury deliberation in October 2009. “I’m not asking you, I’m pleading with you to save my daughter’s life because, as the past has shown, she’s been very kind to a lot of people,” her father said during the sentencing phase, hoping she wouldn’t face the death penalty. She is a lovely lady. I simply don’t get it. I simply don’t comprehend everything. This isn’t her.” In the end, the jury sentenced the defendants to two life sentences without the possibility of release. She is still detained at the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility for Women in Pearl, Rankin County, according to prison records.
