Velmalin Hill was a 25-year-old woman who was brutally killed by her own brother, Kevin Roby, in 1987. Her death was part of a shocking series of crimes committed by Roby, who also raped another sister and later murdered his cellmate in prison. This article will explore the life and death of Velmalin Hill, and the twisted mind of her killer.
A Mysterious Kidnapping
On January 31, 1987, detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) arrived at the home of Roby’s mother, who lived at West 37th Street in Los Angeles. They were there to question Roby, an Air Force Academy dropout, about the apparent abduction of his sister, Velmalin Hill. According to Roby, Hill had been kidnapped from their mother’s home by three men dressed as Japanese Ninja warriors. He could offer very little information about the men who carried off his sister, but detectives asked him if he would walk them through the kidnapping crime scene.
As he did, the detectives found his sister’s body covered with dog food in a large trash can. According to the autopsy report, she had been raped twice, sodomized, and strangled. Roby’s testimony was suspicious, and he was arrested and charged with murder.
A Family of Victims
Roby’s arrest revealed a disturbing history of violence and abuse within his family. He was convicted in May 1988 at a non-jury trial by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Robert Altman, of one count each of murder, sodomy, and two counts of rape. He was also charged with raping another sister, and received a sentence of life in prison without parole.
According to sitename, Roby had a troubled childhood, marked by poverty, neglect, and sexual abuse. He was one of nine children, and his father was an alcoholic who abandoned the family when Roby was young. His mother was mentally ill and unable to care for her children. Roby and his siblings were often left alone, hungry, and dirty. They were also sexually molested by their older brothers and cousins.
Roby developed a fascination with violence and death, and started killing animals at a young age. He also became interested in Satanism and devil-worshipping rituals, which he later practiced in prison.
A Satanic Murderer
When Pelican Bay State prison opened in December 1989, Roby was sent to the supermax facility, where he joined the other 40% of the inmate population who were serving life sentences for a range of violent crimes. He became known as Satannic Christ, and claimed to be the reincarnation of Satan. He also let go of whatever religious beliefs he might have held before.
In August 2005, Roby began sharing his cell with Lloyd Avery II, a former Hollywood actor who had been convicted of a double homicide. Avery had found salvation in a prison ministry, and used to carry the Bible around with him. According to a letter dated August 29, 2005, Avery had taken it upon himself to bring Roby on the righteous path of God. Roby claimed in a later interview that Avery tried to persuade him to convert to Christianity, resulting in multiple fights.
On September 4, 2005, Roby killed Avery by bludgeoning and strangling him. He then performed what appeared to be acts of ritualistic worship with the dead body of his cellmate. He cut off Avery’s ear, drew a pentagram on his chest, and placed a necklace with a cross around his neck. He also wrote “666” on the wall with Avery’s blood. He told the correctional officers that he had performed two rituals: one to kill Avery, and one to resurrect him.
The murder of Avery was discovered two days later, when the correctional officers entered the cell. Roby was charged with first-degree murder, and pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. He was found competent to stand trial, and was sentenced to death in 2009. He is currently on death row at San Quentin State Prison.
A Tragic Legacy
Velmalin Hill’s murder was one of the most horrific crimes in Los Angeles history. Her life was cut short by her own brother, who showed no remorse or empathy for his actions. Her death was part of a larger pattern of violence and abuse that plagued her family, and that continued with Roby’s subsequent crimes. Her story is a tragic reminder of the devastating effects of family dysfunction, mental illness, and evil.
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