Some crimes leave behind more than a crime scene.

They leave behind a child who grows up without parents.

They leave behind birthdays celebrated with empty chairs.

They leave behind families who wake up every morning hoping today will finally be the day someone tells the truth.

For the families of Alexis Crawford and Herman Hill, that day has not yet come.

On May 6, 2012, deputies with the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office responded to a home on Reed Road near North Little Rock, Arkansas. Inside, they found twenty two year old Alexis Crawford and twenty four year old Herman Hill dead from apparent gunshot wounds.

The discovery was heartbreaking enough.

Then investigators made another discovery.

Inside the home was Alexis’s two year old son, Mark Everett.

He was alive.

Physically unharmed.

But his life had been changed forever. [1]

A Family’s Worst Nightmare

No parent expects to receive a phone call saying their child has been murdered.

No grandparent expects to suddenly become the person responsible for raising a child who has just lost both parents.

Yet that became reality for two families in May 2012.

According to investigators, Alexis was pregnant when she was killed. In one horrific act of violence, three lives were stolen and a little boy was left to grow up without the two people who loved him most. [2]

Whenever I read this case, I cannot help but think about that little boy.

He was too young to understand what had happened.

He could not explain what he saw.

He could not identify the person responsible.

Instead, he became another victim of a crime that continues to leave unanswered questions more than a decade later.

The Investigation

Investigators with the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office immediately began processing the crime scene, interviewing witnesses, and searching for a motive.

Over the years, detectives have continued reviewing evidence and following leads, but no arrests have been announced.

The case remains an active double homicide investigation.

In 2025, investigators renewed their appeal to the public, reminding the community that someone knows exactly what happened inside that home. Detectives emphasized that even the smallest piece of information could become the missing link needed to identify the person responsible. [1]

Cold cases often reach a point where the physical evidence can only tell part of the story.

The rest depends on people.

People who saw something.

People who heard something.

People who have remained silent.

One conversation can change everything.

The Child Who Survived

One detail has stayed with me throughout my research.

Mark Everett survived.

He was only two years old when investigators found him inside the home.

As he grows older, he will learn about his parents through photographs, stories, and the memories shared by family members.

He deserves more than memories.

He deserves answers.

Every child deserves to know the truth about what happened to their parents.

That is why this investigation still matters.

Justice is not only about holding someone accountable.

It is also about giving a family the answers they have waited years to hear.

My Thoughts as a Criminal Justice Major

Everything in this section reflects my personal opinions based on publicly available information. These theories are opinions only and should not be interpreted as established fact.

Theory One

Whenever multiple victims are killed inside a residence, investigators often examine whether the offender knew the victims personally. Residential homicides frequently involve someone familiar with the home, the occupants, or their routines. I believe investigators have likely explored this possibility extensively, but it remains an important consideration.

Theory Two

The fact that the child was left alive makes me wonder whether the offender had a specific objective rather than acting indiscriminately. Choosing not to harm a witness who could not yet communicate may indicate the offender believed the child posed no immediate threat to escaping detection.

Theory Three

I also wonder whether advances in forensic technology could reveal evidence that was impossible to detect in 2012. Improvements in touch DNA analysis, fingerprint enhancement, ballistic comparisons, and digital forensic techniques have solved many cases once believed unsolvable.

Theory Four

Another possibility is that someone close to the investigation has withheld information out of fear or loyalty. Criminal justice history has shown that many homicide investigations are eventually solved because relationships change. People who once stayed silent often decide years later that protecting the truth is more important than protecting another person.

Theory Five

Finally, I believe investigators should continue reviewing behavioral changes among individuals connected to the victims. Unexpected moves, sudden changes in routine, inconsistent statements, or unexplained attempts to distance themselves from the victims after the murders can become significant when examined alongside physical evidence.

Why This Case Still Matters

Alexis Crawford was twenty two years old.

Herman Hill was twenty four.

They had their entire futures ahead of them.

Instead, their son has grown up in a world where his parents exist only through stories told by others.

Someone knows exactly what happened inside that home on Reed Road.

Someone has lived with that knowledge for more than a decade.

Until that person comes forward, Alexis and Herman’s families will continue waiting.

Cold cases are not simply old investigations.

They are promises that justice has not yet been fulfilled.

Their story deserves to be remembered.

Their family deserves answers.

And the little boy who survived deserves to know the truth.

References

1. KARK 4 News. “Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office Investigating 2012 Cold Case Double Homicide, Tips Wanted.” 2025. https://www.kark.com/crime/pulaski-county-sheriffs-office-investigating-2012-cold-case-double-homicide-tips-wanted/
2. Yahoo News. “Family Still Hoping for Answers in 2012 Double Homicide.” Syndicated from KARK. https://www.yahoo.com/news/family-still-hoping-answers-2012-232352978.html
3. Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office. Cold Case and Homicide Investigation information.
4. KATV News. Coverage of the Alexis Crawford and Herman Hill homicide investigation and anniversary appeals for information.
5. THV11 News. Archived reporting on the Reed Road double homicide investigation.