'I want people to remember Ellison, Sienna, and Kimora': Grieving grandmother wants people to remember the names and lives of victims, not the accused murderer

The holiday season is over, and it is the start of a new year. A time of resolutions, excitement, and hope for most.

But not so for Beverly Richerson and her family. The holidays are bittersweet for her family as they struggle without members of their family.

“Christmases and birthdays come and go, and there’s nothing. No joy because we’re missing a big part of our family,” says Richerson of her grandchildren and their mother.

In November, 2020, 43-year-old Kimora Buster was shot and killed in the basement of the house, along with two of her children: 7-year-old Ellison Buster and 10-year-old Sienna Buster, who was transported to the hospital and later died from the gunshot wound. A fourth person, Cody Roehl, was also murdered. A third child survived the attack.

The perpetrator was known to the family, according to Richerson. Malachi Maxon had been staying with the Busters following his release from prison a week earlier.

“We knew him since he was 5. I don’t understand how he could do this,” says Richerson.

But really, she doesn’t want people to focus on Maxon; she struggles to even say his name.

“I want people to remember Ellison, Sienna, and Kimora. I feel like they’ve been forgotten.”

Speaking to Richerson over the phone, her pain, sorrow, and anger are as vivid as if she was standing in the same space. While she does not want the attention to be on Maxon, he is indelibly tied to the case, and to her family, and a source of frustration for Richerson and her family as the case makes its way through the courts.

“Why doesn’t he (Maxon) have to come to court? Some days, he is there telephonically. But there’ve been times he didn’t appear because he didn’t want to? I don’t understand.”

Maxon has been charged with 4 counts of murderReaching out to the District Attorney’s office in Palmer, Communications Director Patty Sullivan released the following statement:

“On February 26, 2021 the defense moved the court for an order for an evaluation to assess whether the defendant is competent to stand trial. API evaluated the defendant and concluded the defendant was not (at the time of that evaluation) competent to stand trial in this case. Since then the State requested an opportunity to have its own expert evaluate the defendant’s competency. We are waiting on that expert’s report. The next hearing in this case is set for Jan. 13, 2023 at 8:30 a.m.”

While Richerson does believe the D.A. is doing what she can and keeps everyone informed via texts and emails, the news of the upcoming hearing is little comfort to her, who believes the “justice system is too lenient. We couldn’t have a funeral because of COVID.”

Richerson is aware that Maxon needed a competency hearing, but fears that if there is a question about his mental health, it could lessen any potential incarceration.

The delays and hearings also make it hard for her family to heal.

“I worry about my son and what he lost. We can’t start healing until justice is done. We are still mourning, still grieving. It breaks my heart to see my son in so much pain,” she says tearfully.

While Richerson works to find ways to keep her grandchildren’s names from being forgotten, she is also asking questions about how it was possible for Maxon to be released from prison and able to be on an electronic monitor after numerous charges of domestic violence and assault to members of his family.

According to the Department of Corrections, Maxon was arrested and released onto pretrial supervision 3 times between July 22 and Nov. 30, the day of the murders.

A week prior, on November 23, he started pretrial supervision.

“While on pretrial, Mr. Maxon was in compliance with all conditions of his release, to include not having contact with alleged victim(s), not possessing/consuming controlled substances and submitting to UA as recommended by his Pretrial Enforcement Division officer.”

Richerson wants people to remember her grandchildren, and their mother.

“Kimora, she loved her children. She was co-parenting, and they were doing so great. Ellison was such a happy child who could make you smile every time you saw him. He was funny, so of course you couldn’t help to laugh and smile. And Sienna, she was so smart, she was musically talented. She was this little 10-year-old who knew so much than me,” Richerson recalls.

“They lived. We miss them so bad. But never forget, they lived.”