Podcast Summary: Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

Episode: Killer Kid’s Claim: 10yo Boy Murders 13yo Girl—Says 30-Person 'Mob’ Made Him Do It | Crime Alert 6AM 02.12.2026
Date: February 12, 2026
Host/Anchor: Jennifer Gould (substituting in this special Crime Alert segment)

Overview

This episode spotlights three shocking and deeply disturbing crime stories sweeping the headlines. The central story: a 10-year-old boy in Houston, Texas, stands accused of the fatal stabbing of a 13-year-old girl as a violent, chaotic brawl erupted among dozens at an apartment complex. Jennifer Gould delivers a rapid-fire rundown of the facts, questions swirling around motive and responsibility, and features reactions from both law enforcement and grief-stricken family. The episode briefly covers two other major cases: a violent family abduction in Alabama, and a dramatically personal stabbing attack in Miami.

1. Houston: 10-Year-Old Fatally Stabs 13-Year-Old Girl in 30-Person Brawl

Key Points

• Incident Summary

  • Time/Place: Around 8 PM, 8000 block of God Grow Lane, Northwest Houston, TX.
  • A mass brawl, allegedly involving up to 30 people—adults and juveniles—erupted at the Kempwood Apartments.
  • 13-year-old Riley Deermus, a Dean Middle School student, was fatally stabbed in the chest.
  • The young victim was rushed to hospital and later died from her injuries.

• Victim’s Family’s Anguish

  • At a memorial for her daughter, Riley's mother Ashley spoke out publicly in tears and heartbreak:

    "Instead of me celebrating her 14th birthday, I'm celebrating and trying to bury my daughter right now. These balloons could have been for her 14th birthday, not her death."
    (Ashley Deermus, 00:52)

• Suspect’s Version & Police Response

  • The 10-year-old suspect turned himself in, claiming “self-defense.”
  • Details provided by Houston PD’s Lieutenant Larry Croson:
    • The suspect alleged that Riley was part of a group of 20–30 people who “stormed” the apartment in a violent assault.
    • Police suspect the brawl stemmed from a dispute earlier that day at school, escalating out of control that evening.
    • “Under Texas law, ten is the minimum age for criminal responsibility, meaning the boy could face a homicide rap for the slaying.”
    • The boy was initially released to his parents; DA still considering formal charges.

• Victim’s Mother Disputes Self-Defense Narrative

  • Ashley Deermus challenges the suspect’s account:

    “There was no self defense. My daughter was attacked. She didn’t deserve this.”
    (Ashley Deermus, 01:19)

• Ongoing Investigation

  • Authorities comb through cellphone footage to identify other brawl participants and witnesses.
  • No other arrests have been made as of the episode airing.

• Memorable Moments & Quotes
  • Emotional soundbites from Riley’s mother underline the devastating impact on the victim’s family, highlighting the senselessness of youth violence.
  • The chilling justification offered by a 10-year-old suspect for such a horrific act underscores the challenge of untangling fact from chaos.

2. Alabama: Family of Three Missing After Violent Abduction

Key Points

• Incident Description

  • Aurelia Chalk Koch (40), her 17-year-old daughter Narika, and her 2-year-old son Anthony have vanished since Jan 30 from their home (Lloyd’s Mobile Home Park, Mobile County).
  • The home showed signs of a violent struggle—blood and a missing mattress.

• Progress in the Investigation

  • Two arrests:
    • Juan Carlos Argueda Guerra (31, homeless), charged with three counts of first-degree kidnapping.
    • Silverio Garcia (60), reportedly Koch’s boss, held on unrelated federal charges and a Homeland Security detainer.
  • Motive remains unclear, possibly complicated by the family's pending deportation orders.

• Law Enforcement Appeal

  • Sheriff Paul Burch urges public cooperation regardless of the family’s immigration status, emphasizing the primary goal is their safe return:

    "We're hoping that someone will tell us where they are. ... Our main goal is to find them safely and bring them back home."
    (Sheriff Paul Burch, 03:44)

• Status

  • FBI deploys search warrant at Azalea Grove Mobile Home Park.
  • Both suspects remain in jail; family’s whereabouts unknown.

3. Miami: Family Drama Turns Deadly

Key Points

• Incident Description

  • A fight between Jacqueline Rodriguez (41) and her partner leads to a violent, late-night stabbing.
  • Motive: Rodriguez discovered her partner was having an affair with her own sibling.

• Crime Scene

  • Police forced entry, found victim wounded and covered in blood.
  • Rodriguez now faces charges for aggravated battery and grand theft.

• Notable Closing Commentary

  • Jennifer Gould delivers a memorable sign-off:

    “It turns out that when you double cross a woman with her own sibling, you don’t just break her heart. You get a reminder that blood is not always thicker than water.”
    (Jennifer Gould, 06:12)

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Ashley Deermus (Victim’s Mother):

  "Instead of me celebrating her 14th birthday, I'm celebrating and trying to bury my daughter right now. These balloons could have been for her 14th birthday, not her death."
  (00:52)

  “There was no self defense. My daughter was attacked. She didn’t deserve this.”
  (01:19)

• Lieutenant Larry Croson (Houston PD):
  (Paraphrased at 01:03)

  • "The boy claimed Riley was part of a mob... began a violent assault..."

• Sheriff Paul Burch (Mobile County):

  "We're hoping that someone will tell us where they are... our main goal is to find them safely and bring them back home."
  (03:44)

• Jennifer Gould (Host, on Miami incident):

  "You get a reminder that blood is not always thicker than water."
  (06:12)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:00–02:30] Houston Apartment Brawl, Stabbing, and Aftermath
• [02:31–04:16] Alabama Family Abduction Details and Sheriff’s Appeal
• [04:17–06:12] Miami Stabbing Over Family Betrayal

Summary & Takeaways

This episode is packed with chilling developments—most notably, the devastating loss of a young girl in Houston under unspeakable circumstances, with the perpetrator shockingly young. The story is layered in conflicting accounts, legal complexity due to the ages involved, and the agony of bereaved family members. The coverage emphasizes the ripple effect of violence in communities and the challenges police face discerning truth in the aftermath of chaos. The additional segments on family abduction and betrayal-driven violence underscore how, as Jennifer Gould's closing witticism reminds listeners, “blood is not always thicker than water.”