And she should still be here, holding her son. Nicole Beverly was a Black mother of four living in Detroit. She was soft-spoken, nurturing, and trust
And she should still be here, holding her son.
Nicole Beverly was a Black mother of four living in Detroit. She was soft-spoken, nurturing, and trusted people far more than they ever deserved. She lived with a developmental disability—but that never stopped her from trying to build a good life for her children.
She did what so many Survivors do:
She kept moving forward.
She held on to hope.
She believed people could change.
And then a man came into her life.
Someone who acted kind. Gentle. Safe.
Nicole didn’t know this man was the same person who had raped her the year before.
He kept that truth from her.
And in his silence, he robbed her of the chance to protect herself.
Instead of seeking accountability for the violence he had already caused, he pretended to care. He manipulated her again—but this time, even deeper.
Nicole was receiving financial assistance—a small lifeline to help her raise her children and get by.
This man convinced her to give him money, over and over.
She believed she was helping someone who cared for her.
But in truth, he was using Nicole’s money to support his other girlfriend and their children.
Nicole didn’t know.
She was giving, while he was deceiving.
She was trusting, while he was planning.
And when she had nothing left to give—he took her life.
He strangled Nicole in the presence of her toddler son, Isaiah.
Then he hid her body in an abandoned house just eight blocks from home.
Finally, he dropped Isaiah off at a fire station and lied—pretending to be a stranger who found a lost child.
The level of cruelty, of cowardice, of calculation—it is almost unbearable to hold.
And yet, we must hold it.
Because this is what happens to too many women like Nicole.
This wasn’t just a murder.
This was targeted, predatory exploitation—of a woman who was trying to survive.
It was economic abuse, sexual violence, and manipulation of trust wrapped in one horrific act.
Nicole was failed:
By a man who pretended to love her.
By a society that doesn’t listen to women with disabilities.
By a system that lets abusers hide in plain sight.
We name this.
We honor Nicole.
We refuse to let her be forgotten.
She deserved safety.
She deserved honesty.
She deserved a future.
Rest in power, Nicole Beverly.
We will carry your name.
We will protect others in your honor.
And we will never forget what was done to you.
