Traciy Curry-Reyes has appeared as a true -crime expert in several television documentaries on   A merica’s favorite true crime channels . On TV One Fatal Attraction Lance Herndon–Dionne Baugh—episode (Millionaire Murder) 2014 Exondia Salado–Manny Salado—episode (A Wooded Path) 2015 Mekole Harris–Clarence Jenkins, and Carman Jenkins—episode (A Deadly Message) 2015 Christie Neely–Shawn Southerland—episode (Excess Baggage) 2015 Kizzie Styles–Monroe Finley—episode (Sex, Drugs, and Murder) 2016 Marisha Jeter–Pernell Thompson—episode (Deadly Ultimatum) 2016 Shari Bethel–Deon Cartmell—episode (Lethal Weapon) 2016 Leon Baucham–Jacqueline Ray, and Umeko Roberts—episode (Death Trap) 2016 William Charles Lewis–Rosa Lewis, and Cynthia Floyd Rolle: episode (Shooting Spree) 2017 Tiffany Bailey–Deunta Grier—episode (An Unlikely Witness) 2018 Justice By Any Means Richelle Ransom–Rosaline ‘Rhonda’ Ransom Lee, and Bobbie Lee Taylor 2016 Chauncey Bailey–Devaughndre Broussard 2016 For My...

I’m Traciy Curry-Reyes, a true crime and TV entertainment writer, and the former founder of TV Crime Sky. I began my career in the 1990s as a freelance writer for my website,  The Movies Based on True Stories Database/Archives , and have contributed to other platforms, including Examiner.com and Inquisitr.com. 2026 (Traciy Curry-Reyes) I’ve also appeared as a true crime expert and commentator on TV One’s  Fatal Attraction ,  For My Man , and  Justice by Any Means ; Investigation Discovery’s  Murder Calls  and  Scorned ; Oxygen’s  Snapped ; FOX’s  Crime Watch Daily ; Lifetime Television’s  Killer Kids ; and VH1’s  Infamy: When Love Turns Deadly  and  Celebrity True Crime Story . Traciy Curry-Reyes (photo credit: Ivy Brook Walker 2018) My articles have inspired over 20 television episodes and are referenced in numerous books and podcasts. A few true crime documentary episodes have even used my sound bites as their official s...

Lucious Lyon’s childhood character on Fox’s hit TV series Empire could be based on the true story of child killer Kevin Hughes out of Philadelphia. I saw the story in my mind while reviewing the Rochelle Graham case. A reenactment of the true-crime series Killer Kids sparked my memory. I went back to review the earlier episodes of Empire, and well, I still believe it’s inspired by Hughes’ childhood story. Credit: Fox, Police File Photo Now, just to give you the gist: Kevin Hughes made the news in 1979 for the  murder of Rochelle Graham, a nine-year-old girl. He was convicted of murder  and originally sentenced to die, but that sentence was overturned. He’s  still in prison today, serving life. Lee Daniels, who is from Philadelphia, was probably around the same age—or a bit older—than Kevin Hughes when this story hit the local newspapers. From what I’ve heard, it was a story that struck fear into the parents, as well as high school and elementary students. By the way...

This article discusses the tragic tale of Rochelle Graham and Kevin Peanut Hughes. Few people know her story. It happened in 1979 in Philadelphia. Rochelle Graham, a 9-year-old Philadelphia girl , was found murdered in a burning building. Her abductor and killer, Kevin Hughes, was a local teen who delivered groceries to women in the neighborhood. Rochelle Graham Kevin Hughes Murder: A Case You've Probably Never Heard The Girl Under the Cardboard Box The story made small headlines outside of Philadelphia . In 2020, I had the chance to speak with Rochelle's mother, Diane Graham, who thanked me for remembering her daughter's story. Now, the original documentary I created for this story in 2023 is no longer available. What remains, though, are my personal notes from the interview with Diane Graham, as well as court records and other source material that I used to build that original story. So, let's begin. Life was hard for many people in North Philadelphia in 1979. By then...