Emma Niederbrock shared an online friendship with Richard Samuel McCroskey, a troubled aspiring rapper who travelled from California.

[2] According to police, Emma's parents, Debra Kelley and Mark Niederbrock, had taken her and her friends Melanie Wells and Richard McCroskey to a horrorcore concert, the Strictly for the Wicked Festival, in Southgate, Michigan days before the killings.

[12][13] Prince Edward County Commonwealth's Attorney James Ennis said McCroskey's anger over his failing relationship with Emma and text messages she had sent while they were in Michigan led to the killings.

Early the next morning, McCroskey attacked the three female victims in the house as they were sleeping and killed each within a short period of time around 3 a.m., according to Ennis.

He stated that McCroskey first killed Wells, who was on a sofa in a first-floor den, then Kelley in an upstairs room, and finally Emma in her downstairs bedroom.

Dr. Kelley was a mentor to many students during her tenure, many of whom entered proud careers in law enforcement, fire/rescue, and associated fields as practitioners of the subjects she taught.

[17] Richard Alden Samuel McCroskey III (born December 26, 1988) had been a graphic designer and amateur horrorcore rapper[7][21][6] and had been living with his father and 21-year-old sister in Castro Valley, California.

His sister Sarah recalled him as a mild-mannered and kind person who wouldn't fight back when bullied and never reacted badly to anything without provocation.

[23] McCroskey's MySpace page featured songs he authored with violent lyrics, dealing with subjects including mutilation, death and the thrill of murder.

He was excited for a planned trip to Virginia to see friend Emma Niederbrock, whom he had dated online for almost a year and spoken with almost daily by phone.

[28] McCroskey was apprehended at Richmond International Airport on September 19,[27][29] where police found him sleeping in the baggage claim area,[30] about to fly back to California.

[33] Police occult expert Don Rimer, brought in because of symbols found in the music the teens listened to, described the murder scene as a slaughter house.

[8] Commonwealth's Attorney James Ennis says that the victims' families supported his decision to reach a plea agreement instead of going to trial and seeking the death penalty.