AFTERTHOUGHTS: Ahrea'l Smith

In January 2010, Sony Millbrook disappeared after dropping her five children off at school and daycare. Her family immediately knew something was wrong, but weeks passed without answers. Then, a foul odor inside the Memphis motel room where Sony had been staying led to a horrifying discovery revealing not only what happened to her, but a series of missed opportunities that allowed the truth to remain hidden. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS Earnin Download in the App Store or Google Play Shopify Shopify.com/girlgone Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On June 26, 2010, seventeen-year-old Tarasha “Pooh” Benjamin left her home in Selma, Alabama, for a routine Saturday trip to the local flea market. Hours later, the SUV she had been driving was found abandoned and damaged—but Tarasha was nowhere to be found. More than sixteen years later, her disappearance remains unsolved, and her family is still waiting for answers. SUPPORT OUT SPONSOR Earnin Download Earnin in the App Store or Google Play Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Afterthoughts, Amara and Jason discuss the murders of Brandi Peters and her three children, Tamiyah, Taniyah and JaVante. They talk about the haunting details left behind inside the family’s home, the evidence that complicated the investigation, and how two juries could hear the same murder case and come to very different conclusions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In November 2010, 27-year-old Brandi Peters and her three young children, six-year-old twins Tamiyah and Taniyah and three-year-old JaVante, were found murdered inside their Tallahassee, Florida home. With no obvious signs of forced entry, investigators began looking closely at the people in Brandi’s life. What followed was a years-long investigation filled with lies, unexpected evidence, competing theories, and a case that would ultimately require two trials before Brandi and her children finally received justice. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS BetterHelp BetterHelp.com/girlgone Shopify Shopify.com/girlgone Bilt joinbilt.com/girlgone Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On April 11, 2023, 35-year-old mother and teacher Rachel King was shot and killed while sitting in her car in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania. The seemingly random attack left investigators searching for a motive, but surveillance footage, a suspicious vehicle, and a complicated relationship would eventually uncover a calculated murder-for-hire plot driven by jealousy. Support Our Sponsors Shopify Visit www.Shopify.com/girlgone Earnin Download the Earnin App in App Store or Google Play Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Afterthoughts, Amara and Jason discuss the abduction and murder of 28-year-old Ahrea’l Smith, who was taken after closing the convenience store where she worked in January 2022. They discuss the frightening circumstances of her abduction, the unanswered questions surrounding her connection to Tyrone Samuel, and how quickly investigators were able to identify the man responsible Sponsor: Download the Bilt app and join the membership for where you live at joinbilt.com/girlgone Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

28 year-old Ahrea’l Smith disappeared on January 12, 2022, after closing the convenience store where she worked in Claraville, Virginia. The next morning, her car was found still running in the parking lot with her belongings inside. Surveillance footage captured Ahrea’l’s final movement but what happened just beyond the cameras would lead investigators to the man responsible for her disappearance. Support Our Sponsors Shopify Visit www.Shopify.com/girlgone Earnin Download the Earnin App in App Store or Google Play Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the spring of 2004, twenty-four-year-old Tamika Huston disappeared from Spartanburg, South Carolina. At first, her family hoped she had simply left town. But as days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, it became clear that something was terribly wrong. An abandoned car, a mysterious ring of keys, and a series of unexpected investigative breakthroughs would ultimately lead detectives to the truth about what happened to Tamika—and expose a calculated effort to conceal her murder. On this episode of Black Girl Gone, I tell the story of Tamika Huston, the fifteen-month investigation that finally brought her home, and the family who refused to let her be forgotten. Support Our Sponsors BetterHelp betterhelp.com/girlgone Bilt joinbilt.com/girlgone Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Afterthoughts, Jason and I revisit the murder of Tee Swims and the heartbreaking decisions that led to her death. We discuss the warning signs in the relationship, the evidence that contradicted the killer's story, and why this case is a powerful reminder of how domestic violence can escalate behind closed doors Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In June 2021, 35-year-old Anteeatta "Tee" Swims was preparing for a fresh start. After years of trying to save her marriage, she had made the difficult decision to leave her husband and begin a new chapter. But before she had the chance, Tee disappeared. For two days, her family received strange text messages they knew she hadn't written. Then the truth came to light. On this episode of Black Girl Gone, I tell the story of Tee Swims, the life she built as a beloved educator, the relationship she fought to save, and the devastating events that ended her life just as she was preparing to walk away. Sponsor: shopify.com/girlgone - start your free trial today Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices