Mistrial declared in case of Indiana man accused of killing father, pregnant woman, unborn baby and two teenagers

A judge has called off the trial of an Indianapolis man charged with the brutal murder of five people , including a pregnant woman, after a witness's courtroom outburst.

Judge Chris Miller was forced to declare a mistrial Tuesday at Marion County Superior Court during the proceedings against Raymond Ronald Lee Childs III. Childs, 20, is accused of a horrific killing spree that claimed the lives of his father, stepmother, two teenage relatives, a near-term pregnant woman, and her unborn child in January 2021.

Childs was apprehended the day following the massacre and faced six counts of murder. The case took a shocking turn when Elanso Valez, a crucial witness, said he had assisted Childs by driving him around Indianapolis shortly after the murders.

READ MORE: Horror moment Alabama pastor 'heard grandson kill wife and four kids' before wrestling gun off him

READ MORE: Sonya Massey's son sobs over mom who 'helped everybody but herself' before shot in face by corrupt cop

While testifying, Valez said Childs broke down crying on a bed at his Plainfield residence.

In a dramatic courtroom moment reported by WXIN-TV, Valez directly addressed Childs, asking, "Y'all remember that? " Despite attempts by both legal teams to silence him and the judge's intervention, Valez pressed on, questioning Childs, "Why did you do it, Raymond?"

Judge Miller quickly removed the jury from the courtroom, later determining that the outburst had compromised Childs' right to a fair trial. He subsequently declared a mistrial, stating his conviction that impartiality had been irreparably damaged.

A status conference has been scheduled for Monday to discuss the next steps with the attorneys involved. The murders occurred following a dispute over Childs, who was 17 at the time, staying out late, as per court documents. Prosecutors stated that Childs systematically moved from room to room, shooting his victims.

The brutal attack claimed the lives of Childs' father, Raymond Childs Jr., 42; his stepmother, Kezzie Childs, 42; the couple's daughter, Rita Childs, 13; son Elijah Childs, 18; and Elijah's 19-year-old girlfriend Kiara Hawkins, who tragically died in hospital along with her unborn child.

READ MORE: Great-grandmother's frantic 911 call after Ohio boy, 7, fatally shoots himself playing with gun

READ MORE: Haunting reason woman shot seven-month-old baby in the leg on Philadelphia street

Childs' 15-year-old brother was also shot but managed to survive by fleeing the house amidst the gunfire.