On the night before Thanksgiving for each of the past 30 years, Melba McKnight of Conyers swears she hears her doorbell ring, only to find no one at the door.
McKnight and her daughter, Amber Lett-Hammond, believe the ringing doorbell is a sign from Melba’s sister, Shirley McKnight, who was murdered by her longtime ex-boyfriend the night of Thanksgiving, Nov. 24, 1994. Shirley was stabbed several times outside of her house and died on the private drive off Troupe Smith Road.
The killer cut Shirley’s telephone line before entering the house, preventing any outgoing calls. It was 1994, so she did not have a cellphone.
Before Shirley collapsed, she fled not in the direction of the nearby public road, but toward Melba’s house.
In October, the McKnight family got news that troubled them: Shirley’s convicted killer, Joseph Monroe, has been tentatively approved for parole. Previously when Monroe’s parole eligibility was reviewed, many family members were alerted via mail and each would write a letter to the State Board of Pardons and Parole urging them not to release him from prison. This year, the notice came via email and was only sent to Lett-Hammond. She worries that their letters did not arrive in time to be reviewed by the board.
Melba McKnight and Lett-Hammond discussed the bittersweet nature of Thanksgiving and the 30-year anniversary of the shocking murder in an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution at the Conyers property where Melba and many family members still live.
Credit: Henri Hollis
Credit: Henri Hollis
Monroe, who pleaded not guilty, was arrested more than three weeks after the deadly stabbing. The McKnight family quickly pointed to him as the likely killer, and he was the only suspect publicly identified by authorities. Shirley was 46 when she died and had been involved with Monroe, who was 50, on and off again for about 20 years.
At trial, prosecutor Nancy Bills presented evidence that Monroe previously battered Shirley. The couple had been living together at Shirley’s home but broke up after he beat her multiple times, Bills said. Though Shirley did not file charges against Monroe, she had him formally evicted from her house in October 1994, the Rockdale Citizen reported.
Melba said Shirley had been living with her just up the street while Monroe was being removed from her home. Shirley moved back into her house in early November.
Having Monroe finally gone made that Thanksgiving particularly sweet, Melba said.
“Shirley called me and said, ‘I’m down here cooking my Thanksgiving dinner, and I’m singing praises and thanking God. I finally got the house to myself,’” Melba recounted.
Monroe was initially taken into custody in early December for questioning and released due to lack of evidence. Nearly two weeks later, he was arrested and charged with Shirley’s murder thanks to a witness. A Conyers store clerk picked Monroe out of a lineup, placing him near the scene on the night of the killing. DNA evidence was also collected from drops of blood left inside Shirley’s house when the killer tore her phone from the wall.
Credit: Georgia Department of Corrections
Credit: Georgia Department of Corrections
Monroe maintained his innocence throughout his initial trial and a second trial on appeal, but he was found guilty in both cases. Because of the nature of the killing and Georgia law at the time, his maximum sentence included the possibility of parole, and his case has been considered by the state board multiple times, Melba said.
“It’s pain compounding,” Melba said. “Because it’s 30 years, it’s Thanksgiving. And this is the year that you all decide to ‘tentatively’ approve his parole?”
Georgia changed its sentencing laws on Jan. 1, 1995, just weeks after Monroe’s arrest. Because Shirley’s murder took place in 1994, Monroe was eligible to be considered for parole after just seven years in prison. Thanks in part to the letters sent by Shirley’s family and other supporters, Monroe’s parole was not granted after several prior reviews. However, this year feels different to the McKnight family; Lett-Hammond said Monroe’s parole has never been listed as “tentatively granted” before.
Credit: Henri Hollis
Credit: Henri Hollis
Melba and Lett-Hammond both fear retribution from Monroe if he’s released, even though he’s now 80 years old.
“I’m afraid for my life, my family’s life and everybody around here who testified on that stand, because he’s evil, and what does he have to lose?” Melba said.
Both Melba and Lett-Hammond described Shirley as a beloved figure in their family and community. She worked as a housekeeper for multiple families in Rockdale County, and Melba talked about how her sister’s employers “cried like babies” when they came to pay their respects. Shirley’s family said she was a homebody who loved to decorate for the holidays and was an excellent cook.
“She just enjoyed life; she was big and fun,” Lett-Hammond said of her aunt. “She was a tall lady who loved red lipstick.”
Shirley’s death changed the McKnight family forever. Lett-Hammond, now married with a daughter of her own, said she would not go on dates in high school at night, and she always met dates in public places. She did not let dates pick her up at her house so they wouldn’t know where she lived.
“This entire ordeal made me extremely cautious of who I associate myself with,” Lett-Hammond said. “I can honestly say that it has taught me that I don’t hide secrets from my mother if I’m going through anything.”
“The word Thanksgiving will never be the same,” Melba said. “(Grief) does not expire, or go away. You learn how to live with it.”
Through their grief, the McKnight family and Rockdale community were able to bring some good from Shirley’s death.
The Rockdale District Attorney’s Office established its Victim-Witness Assistance Program in Shirley’s honor, and the program remains active today. In October, Melba spoke at a candlelight vigil held in honor of victims of domestic violence that was organized by the VWAP and DA’s office. In 2000, the McKnight family and VWAP created the “Call to Protect” program, which helps supply cellphones to victims of domestic violence.
Shirley’s son, Michael McKnight, has also dedicated his life to public service. He graduated from Morris Brown College in the year after his mother’s death and went on to earn his PhD in education. He has spent his career as an educator and is now the principal of the Atlanta Youth Detention Center.
For the McKnight family, this Thanksgiving looms large thanks to the anniversary of Shirley’s death and the uncomfortable possibility of Monroe’s parole. Yet they still count their blessings and look forward to celebrating. Melba’s countertops and refrigerator were filled with cakes and classic Southern Thanksgiving dishes, like cornbread dressing and a huge turkey seasoned for the fryer.
“Our family unit in this county, in this city, in this community as a whole, we still remain extremely tight-knit,” Lett-Hammond said. “But we all still feel the pain of that night.”
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