Chicago, Illinois — The murders of Nova Henry and her infant daughter, Ava Curry, remain one of the most heartbreaking crimes to occur in Chicago’s South Loop neighborhood.
A young mother was killed.
A 10-month-old baby lost her life.
And a 3-year-old child was left alone inside the apartment with a tragedy no child should ever witness.
On January 24, 2009, a relative arrived at Nova Henry’s townhouse and discovered a devastating scene.
Twenty-four-year-old Nova Henry and her 10-month-old daughter, Ava Curry, had both been shot multiple times inside the residence.
But investigators soon learned there was another child inside the home.
Nova’s 3-year-old son, Noah, had survived.
According to reports, Noah was found unharmed among the bodies of his mother and baby sister.
The discovery stunned family members and investigators alike.
Investigation into the Murders
As detectives worked to identify the person responsible, attention quickly turned toward Fredrick Goings, an attorney who had previously represented Nova in a paternity and child support case involving former NBA player Eddy Curry, the father of Nova’s children.
During that legal representation, Nova and Goings became romantically involved.
Prosecutors later alleged that the relationship became abusive.
Authorities stated that tensions escalated after Nova hired another attorney to challenge approximately $24,000 in legal fees that Goings had charged her.
Investigators began gathering evidence linking him to the murders.
Surveillance cameras captured a vehicle matching Goings’ near Nova’s townhouse around the time of the killings.
Authorities also reported that a bullet recovered from his vehicle matched shell casings found at the crime scene.
Gunshot residue was later discovered on clothing connected to him.
Perhaps most chilling was the statement attributed to Noah.
According to reports, when his grandmother arrived at the home, the young child identified the person responsible.
“Fredrick did it,” he reportedly said before placing a finger to his lips and whispering, “Shh.”
Conviction and Sentencing
Fredrick Goings was arrested in February 2009.
After years of legal proceedings, a jury convicted him in February 2013 of two counts of first-degree murder.
The verdict was returned after less than four hours of deliberation.
On April 4, 2013, Judge Maura Slattery Boyle sentenced Goings to natural life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Following the murders, Noah was placed in the custody of his father, former NBA player Eddy Curry.
Remembering Nova and Ava
The loss of Nova and Ava forever changed the lives of everyone who loved them.
Among those most deeply affected was Nova’s younger brother, Ryan Henry.
Years later, Ryan became widely known through the television series Black Ink Crew: Chicago and the success of his tattoo studio, 9MAG.
The shop’s name carries special meaning.
The “9” represents the year 2009, when Nova and Ava were murdered.
Behind the television appearances and business success remains a brother and uncle carrying the memory of two loved ones whose lives were stolen far too soon.
Nova Henry was 24 years old.
Ava Curry was only 10 months old.
Their lives ended in violence, but their memory continues to live on through the family members who refuse to let them be forgotten.
© The Vivid Faces of the Vanished