Keara Hazel, a young mother, and her two babies were murdered in their Clarksville, Tennessee, home in September 2017. ‘Evil Lives Here: Shadows Of Death: 360 Degrees of Terror’ on Investigation Discovery follows the tragic murder mystery and the investigation process that resulted in the perpetrator receiving the punishment he deserved.
How Did Keara Hazel Die?
Keara Hazel had an endearing laugh and was “bubbly, happy-go-lucky, and compassionate.” On March 11, 1994, she was born in Franklin, Tennessee. Karen Griffin, her mother, recalled how sympathetic her daughter was, saying that she listened to and prayed for anyone going through a difficult time. She dated Jordan Michael Hazel for a year before falling pregnant after meeting him in college. Soon after, the couple got married and moved into a home at 221 Mills Drive in Clarksville. Keara gave birth to a son named Kayden on July 29, 2014. He was a cute little boy “with an old soul,” Karen recalled.
A few years later, on December 12, 2016, Keara gave birth to their second child, Jaylynn. Jaylynn was described by Karen as a contented, cuddly infant, with her siblings being inseparable. But despite appearances, the family was not as content as they appeared to be. On September 13, 2017, Karen watched over her grandchildren while the mother, a 23-year-old front desk agent at a hotel in Clarksville, had left for work. She stayed over for a while after coming to pick up her kids. On that particular day, her father was off work, and the entire family enjoyed spending time together.
Karen remarked, “I feel fortunate. We exchanged “I love you, and I received extra cuddles and kisses that day. Keara and her father got to exchange “I love you” messages. They were aware of our love for them, and I praise God for that. She had no idea that it would be her last opportunity to see her daughter and grandchildren in person. On September 14, 2017, Karen went to her daughter’s house after receiving a worried call from Jordan’s mother, Cindy Soliz, and discovered Keara and her grandchildren dead. Her screams woke up the nearby residents, who then called the police.
Officers were horrified by the brutality when they arrived at the crime scene because Keara was dead and propped up against furniture in her bedroom, and there were blood and tissues all over the walls. The police who arrived on the scene initially believed that the kids were still alive. They did not have to wait long to realize their error, though. The officers discovered Kayden’s body in the hallway, wrapped in a blanket, while Jaylynn was discovered dead in her crib. Each of the three victims had been shot twice, with Keara receiving head and neck wounds, according to autopsy reports.
Who Killed Keara Hazel?
Since Jordan was the one who opened the door for his mother-in-law and declared, “It’s done and it’s over,” the police did not need to look into the murder. After receiving a 911 call, the officers showed up at around 10:48 am and detained him close to his home. Jordan reportedly told Detective Fred McClintock that he had killed his wife and children after being taken to the station. On September 13, 2017, he had left his house to go pick up a shotgun he had left at a friend’s house.
Around 8 o’clock at night, after loading the weapon in his driveway, he went inside his house to shoot his wife. Shortly after, he killed the toddlers. Police reports state that Jordan shot them twice over the course of 12 hours, going out in between to run errands, calling family, reading the Bible, and taking a nap before shooting them once more at around 3 in the morning. Additionally, he had stopped at a Kroger for a gas refill before going to a McDonald’s for sweet tea. Additionally, according to court documents, Jordan was taking an unnamed medication when he committed the murders.
Additionally, it was discovered that he had a lengthy criminal history, beginning in November 2008 when Jordan, then age 18, broke into a building in Warner-Robbins, Georgia. He was given a sentence of one year in jail and nine years of probation after being indicted on a number of charges, including theft, criminal trespassing, and forgery. After testing positive for methamphetamine and marijuana in August 2012, he was found to be in violation of his probation. He was once detained in Clarksville in 2013 on marijuana possession charges.
Where is Jordan Hazel Now?
Jordan Hazel only offered the authorities the excuse that she had been having financial difficulties, adding, “I was thinking it (the murders) would solve problems for everyone” and, “I would get my life back.” He was charged with three counts of premeditated first-degree murder, and his defense attorney argued that he was mentally unstable and raised concerns about his competency. He underwent a mental competency hearing on June 9, 2020, and was found to be mentally competent.
Just days before his trial was set to begin, on August 18, 2020, Jordan pleaded guilty to three counts of murder and accepted life sentences with the possibility of parole. His sentence was reduced as part of a plea agreement to two consecutive life sentences to be served concurrently. The sentence further stipulated that the 30-year-old would need to serve two sentences totaling 55 years, or 110 years, before becoming eligible for parole. He is serving his sentence at the Trousdale Turner Correctional Center in Trousdale County, Tennessee, according to court records, and his release date is March 19, 2136.