Krislynn Nykole Averitte, a young woman known for her big heart and strong will, was just 19 years old when her life was cut short by gun violence in the summer of 2020. Remembered by loved ones as funny, compassionate, and caring, Krislynn was a graduate of J-town High School and a hardworking employee at Ceva in Louisville, Kentucky. To her friends and family, she was known by affectionate nicknames like "Krissy," "Bandit," and "Phat Phat." She was a daughter, a partner, and a cherished friend whose legacy, her family vows, will forever live on.
Those who knew Krislynn recall an inspiring overachiever and a "king of DIY." Her mother, Brittany Brewer, remembered her daughter's smile and the immense love she inspired in others. Krislynn was the daughter of Brittany and Chris Averitte, and she shared her life with her partner, Veronica Ratliff. The messages left on a memorial page paint a picture of a deeply loved young woman, with one sibling writing, "I love you sissy.
I miss you so much. You’re still my best friend." Her mother’s messages speak of an unbearable loss: "Losing you is the hardest, most unfair thing I've ever experienced."
On Tuesday, July 7, 2020, the life her family cherished came to a violent end. Krislynn was shot outside her own home on Woodpointe Boulevard in Louisville. After the shooting, she was rushed to the University of Louisville Hospital, but tragically, she succumbed to her injuries. The specific circumstances that led to the shooting have not been publicly released by authorities, leaving her family with unanswered questions about her final moments in what her mother believed should have been a place of safety.
The Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) is handling the investigation, which is classified as an open and unsolved homicide. In the months and years following Krislynn's death, no arrests have been made, and no suspects have been publicly identified. The silence from law enforcement has been a source of profound frustration and pain for Krislynn's family. Her mother, Brittany Brewer, has spoken out about her struggle to get information from investigators. "I can’t get through to LMPD homicide," she said five months after the murder. "The detective changed his number... they don’t answer my phone calls down there."
The heartbreak of Krislynn’s family was shared by many others in Louisville that year, which saw a record-breaking number of homicides. In December 2020, Highland Baptist Church placed 140 white crosses on its lawn, each one bearing the name of a homicide victim from that year. Krislynn’s name was among them. Seeing the public display of her daughter's name moved her mother to tears. "My daughter is in a box," Brewer cried. "Nobody cares how we feel and then for this church to do this, it feels like somebody actually cares."
Standing beside the cross with her daughter’s name, Brewer reflected on the shared pain of a community grappling with unprecedented violence. "You know every time somebody got murdered before my daughter got murdered, I would be like, ‘Wow, that’s sad.’ But until I’ve actually experienced myself, it’s different," she said. "It’s not just sad, I feel like we’re all a part of one another now because we all share the same pain."
As of late 2020, the investigation into Krislynn Averitte’s murder remains ongoing, but the case has grown cold. Her family continues to wait for answers and fight for the justice they believe she deserves. "We will never stop fighting for justice," her mother wrote in a message to her daughter. "I love and miss you." The Louisville Metro Police Department has not announced any new leads or persons of interest in the case.
