Phoenix Community Mourning After Teen’s Tragic Death
A shocking incident has left a community in Phoenix reeling. On August 4, 15-year-old Kyelonna Meya Smiley was found dead in an apartment located in a senior living complex near 77th Avenue and Encanto Boulevard. Authorities discovered her around 9:40 a.m., and they have since closed the case following the suicide of the man they identified as the suspect.
Detectives revealed that 67-year-old Nohe Prado Morelia, a resident of the apartment complex, was suspected of the crime. Sadly, just four days after Smiley’s death, Morelia took his own life at a nearby business.
The Phoenix Police Department confirmed in a statement that, since Morelia’s passing, homicide detectives have continued their investigation. They have determined that Morelia was responsible for Smiley’s murder and noted that no other suspects are involved. However, the motive behind this tragic act remains unclear.
Kyelonna’s mother, Fiyonna Austin, shared her heartbreak over her daughter’s untimely death. She mentioned that Kyelonna had left home on August 1, seemingly to stay with a friend. When her daughter didn’t return by Monday, Austin reported her missing. Tragically, two days later, she learned of Kyelonna’s death.
“I just want to know why my baby was taken,” Austin expressed. “It’s very frustrating. The man who took my baby took the coward’s way out.”
Austin emphasized her devastation, saying that her world has been shattered by this loss. She revealed that she had never met Morelia and was unaware of why her daughter was at the senior living community. Kyelonna was gearing up to start her freshman year at Trevor G. Browne High School.
In light of the situation, a GoFundMe campaign has been started to assist the family with funeral expenses. “This is incredibly painful to share… She passed away so young and had a whole life to live,” Austin wrote on the campaign page.
