Sword and Scale Episode 327 Summary
Release Date: November 6, 2025
Host: Sword and Scale
Theme: The murder of Kajavia Globe—community, police failure, justice, and the fight for answers in Detroit.
Overview:
This episode of "Sword and Scale" tells the story of Kajavia Globe, a hard-working woman from Detroit whose disappearance and murder exposed deep flaws in the criminal justice system and highlighted the necessity of community persistence in the face of systemic indifference. The episode follows the investigation from Kajavia's last day alive, through botched police action and community activism, to the eventual conviction of her killer, Maxwell Brack.
Key Points and Episode Breakdown
1. Kajavia’s Last Day and Disappearance
[00:33 - 01:43]
- On December 11, 2015, Kajavia, full of hope from a job promotion, vanished after visiting her aunt.
- Her family immediately sensed something was wrong:
“This man has came in and tore my foundation down. What I have built, I feel like it should be an eye for an eye. And a lot of things will change in this world.” — Kajavia’s mother, Lashonda [00:06]
- The urgency was palpable—her absence from home was not normal.
[02:21 - 02:45]
- Police were contacted soon after but initially took little action, citing standard wait times for missing adults.
2. Family Vigilance and Police Apathy
[02:45 - 03:30]
- Kajavia’s family mobilized, distributing flyers and contacting media, not waiting for authorities:
“We gonna be out here every day until we find her. And whoever got our sister your best bet… Send our sister home.” — Family member [12:18]
- Police filed reports, and the community watched the story unfold on the news.
3. 911 Calls, Dispatch Failures, and Systemic Neglect
[03:56 - 11:15]
- Two separate 911 calls (first on December 13) reported a suspicious car matching Kajavia's in a neighborhood plagued by abandonment and crime.
- Both calls were mishandled and not treated with urgency:
“Is every dispatcher in Detroit completely fucking retarded? Seems like that's the case.” — Narrator [11:15]
- Only after the second call—over a day later—did police finally respond.
4. Discovery of the Car and Crime Scene
[14:00 - 15:33]
-
Kajavia’s car was found with blood smears and her belongings inside. Police confirmed evidence of foul play.
“As we recovered the vehicle, there was evidence of foul play.” — Officer [15:29]
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Community members, frustrated by slow police progress, organized their own search efforts.
5. The Body is Found—From Missing Person to Homicide Investigation
[16:31 - 20:39]
- A sanitation worker reported a possible body in a trash can; after careful searching, police found Kajavia’s body stuffed into a dumpster behind an abandoned house.
- Details of discovery:
“Inside the dumpster was the body of a black female… Around her neck was a red or orange, different color red or orange rope. And she appeared to be nude from the waist down.” — Officer [19:44]
6. Building a Case – Suspicion Falls on Maxwell Brack
[21:36 - 23:47]
- Police focus on Kajavia’s ex-boyfriend, Maxwell Brack, whose connection strengthens when a body is found near his girlfriend’s house.
- Forensic evidence (fibrous material and hair) found in the trash can matches items in Maxwell’s girlfriend’s house.
- Surveillance footage shows a masked man—a skull Halloween mask—using Kajavia’s card at an ATM the night she disappeared:
“See a mask of a skeleton? Basically it's very unique, and we're hoping that someone in the public can identify or know someone who has that mask.” — Detective [22:56]
7. Tangled Relationships and Motive
[24:15 - 29:19]
-
Interviews reveal Maxwell was juggling relationships with at least five women. Days before her murder, Kajavia sent a video of herself and Maxwell to his girlfriend Emily—possibly as a provocation.
-
Maxwell’s manipulative behavior surfaces, and Emily unwittingly becomes an important witness:
“She was doing texting me miscellaneous bullcrap, like, that's why he eating my pussy. You know, little have fun. And that was that.” — Emily Shepard [27:17]
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Motive emerges: Kajavia’s action threatened Maxwell’s deceptive double life.
8. Community Protest and Anguish at Police Inaction
[30:53 - 31:56]
-
Frustration grows as weeks go by without an arrest.
“You are not just going to leave us here to fend for ourselves. You are… going to get out here and do it ourselves.” — Community activist [30:53] “I feel like life is damn near doomed for me and my family. This man has came in and tore my foundation down.” — Lashonda, Kajavia’s mother [31:41]
-
Community marches for justice, rallying for Kajavia and other missing and murdered women in Detroit.
9. Medical Examiner’s Challenges—A Homicide Without a Cause of Death
[32:32 - 34:43]
- The autopsy cannot determine an exact cause of death (no wounds, no toxins, no ligature marks)—just that it was homicide by exclusion.
- Prosecutors hesitate to charge Maxwell with murder based on circumstantial evidence:
“But how can you rule a death a homicide if you can't tell how they died?” — Narrator [34:08]
10. Break in the Case—A Neighbor Steps Up
[38:23 - 44:57]
- Over a month later, neighbor Tina Morell finally shares what she saw: Maxwell moving the trash can containing Kajavia's body.
“You got four sisters. If it was your family member... people should want to step up and do the right thing.” — Tina Morell [44:18]
- Her testimony transforms the case from circumstantial to direct evidence, allowing prosecutors to charge Maxwell.
11. Arrest and Trial of Maxwell Brack
[46:32 - 50:00]
- DNA evidence (under Kajavia’s fingernails), surveillance footage, and neighbor testimony solidify the case.
- Maxwell is arrested and charged with open murder and related offenses.
- The trial features emotional testimony and tense courtroom drama, with Maxwell eventually convicted of second-degree murder.
“We as a jury find him guilty of the lesser offense of second degree murder.” — Jury Foreperson [49:30]
12. Sentencing and Aftermath
[50:00 - End]
-
Lashonda, Kajavia’s mother, addresses the court in a powerful victim impact statement:
“He was abusive... She was gonna drop that zero cause she hadn't found her hero. He took advantage… I hate this man. This man has destroyed my family.” — Lashonda [50:08]
-
Maxwell is sentenced to 70–100 years; the judge adds extra years for his courtroom smugness.
“She made sure to let him know that she tacked on the last 10 years of that 70, just for that smile.” — Narrator [53:28]
-
For the Globe family, justice is bittersweet—no sentence undoes the loss, and the scars of distrust with the system persist.
Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments
-
On police apathy:
“Maybe only people who have actual empathy should be hired for these jobs, but who the hell am I to say?” — Narrator [06:00]
-
On community activism:
“It wasn't the detectives who found Kijavia's car. It wasn't the police who brought her home. It was a sister who refused to wait, a sanitation worker who wouldn't ignore a report, a neighbor who stopped watching from behind the glass and spoke up… Justice didn't arrive with sirens. It was dragged forward by a community that refused to be ignored.” — Narrator [53:28]
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On systemic failures:
“The system stalls. The police miss calls, somebody doesn't get the memo. And sometimes justice just stays locked behind closed doors. But not this time.” — Narrator [53:28]
-
On loss:
“I feel like life is damn near doomed for me and my family. This man has came in and tore my foundation down. What I have built.” — Lashonda [31:41]
-
On courage to speak up:
“Thank my husband. Because he said, look, you got four sisters. If it was your family member….” — Tina Morell [44:18]
Important Timestamps
- Kajavia last seen: [00:33 – 01:43]
- 911 calls – dispatch mishandling: [03:56 – 11:15]
- Kajavia’s car found: [14:00 – 15:33]
- Body discovered: [18:50 – 20:39]
- Maxwell identified, ATM footage: [22:56 – 23:47]
- Community protest: [30:53 – 31:56]
- Lashonda’s despair and anger: [31:41 – 31:56], [50:08 – 52:14]
- Neighborhood witness comes forward: [38:23 – 44:57]
- Maxwell’s arrest and trial: [46:32 – 50:00]
- Jury verdict: [49:30]
- Sentencing: [53:28]
Tone and Style
- The episode is gritty, direct, and emotionally charged, with the host oscillating between dark humor, righteous anger, and empathetic narration.
- Real voices from the case—family, neighbors, police—are layered with unfiltered narration and raw 911 call clips, creating a documentary-style urgency.
Final Thoughts
Episode 327 is an unflinching look at how systemic neglect can endanger lives and stall justice, but also celebrates the doggedness of families and ordinary citizens who refuse to stay quiet. It's a story where the monsters are real, and justice is not inevitable—it’s hard-won by those who persevere when the system fails.