Who Killed Popular AKA Member Aaliyah Newell?

By J. Coyden Palmer March 25, 2022

Chicago Police detectives are conducting a homicide investigation involving a popular member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. The body of Aaliyah Newell, 47, was discovered at 7225 S. Vincennes in her Greater Grand Crossing home by one of her sorority sisters on March 23. Newell, who worked as an adjunct professor, was loved by all who knew her, according to friends and family, who are shocked by her death.

Police sources say Newell’s body was found in a restrained position, with her legs and hands tied and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office has listed her death as a homicide with the cause of death being blunt force trauma to the head. Sources at the coroner’s office say Newell was badly beaten in the face. An FOIA request has been made to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office for the autopsy results. A police source tells jcoydenreports Newell’s death is suspected to be a robbery/homicide as there were some personal items of Newell’s missing from the home, which included televisions and computer equipment.

The single-family residential property sits on a busy avenue and is part of a gated community of homes. The residence would be difficult to access from the rear alley as there is a detached garage and six-foot high wooden fence protecting the property. The front gate to the property has a wrought-iron fence with a deadbolt and door knob handle lock. The front entrance to the residence is protected by a steel security door which also has a deadbolt and door lock, followed by a main steel door.

There were no signs of a break-in at the front of the residence when jcoydenreports visited the residence on March 24th. The rear entrance was inaccessible for analysis. The property has a wooden deck with a flight of stairs to gain entry to the rear of the home and there are security flood lights above the deck that can be observed from the alley.

Those who knew Newell say she was the life of the party and was recently committed to living a healthier lifestyle after suffering a medical setback in 2021. Friends say she began working out and changing her diet as she was looking to lose weight, something Newell herself posted about on social media.

“What people fail to realize the hours and late night/mornings spent daily on working out until 2 am, walking the parks, to train station, blocks etc. and is daily struggle to eat healthy, and not a lot of junk such as fried fast food or sweets,” Newell wrote on her Facebook page March 15. “Maintain and dropping weight. Slowly but surely dropping off.”

Newell attended St. Martin De Pores High School in Chicago and the University of Illinois. Friends say she recently was considering moving to Atlanta.

As of now there are multiple theories on what could have happened to Newell but police are officially being tight-lipped about the investigation, only saying that she was found restrained and had been beaten in the head. Many suspect Newell was the victim of a targeted robbery that could have gone bad, but that is just one thought. Her friends have told media outlets in Chicago that on the last night she was seen alive, Sunday March 20, she spoke of having a date later on that evening. But with whom is not known.

A law enforcement source tells jcoydenreports that at this time it cannot be confirmed if Newell ever made it to that date. Investigators are considering she could have been the victim of a random home invasion and are looking at any past romantic relationships, burglary patterns in the neighborhood or anything else that could help them determine what happened to Newell.

Newell had been partying with friends and sorority sisters this past weekend in downtown Chicago as part of the AKA’s Regional Conference. Police sources tell jcoydenreports they are scouring Newell’s digital footprint on social media, through her cellphone records and anything else they can find to see who she was communicating with and the search will also include dating apps.

Newell’s home also may have had an ADT security system installed in it as well. An ADT sign is visible on the front lawn and it has been learned that multiple neighbors have Ring doorbells. Police are hoping they may have a video to share with the public in the coming days of a suspect, jcoydenreports has learned.

In the meantime, a vigil for Newell is planned for Friday March 25th at 6 p.m. outside her home. No suspects are in custody at this time. Anyone with information can leave an anonymous tip at cpdtip.com. jcoydenreports will continue to follow this story as it develops and provide updates.