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Keona Wright

A Miami Dade College student is using her writing skills and the Internet to draw attention to the unsolved murder of her best friend five years ago.

BY ANDREA ROBINSON
arobinson@MiamiHerald.com

police, responding to criticism of the investigation into Cynteria Phillips' murder

There are moments when Keona Wright remembers the fun and foolish things she and classmate Cynteria Phillips did together: skipping classes at Norland Middle School, committing pranks during detention, learning new dance moves.

Most days, though, Keona is obsessed with darker thoughts far beyond her 19 years: finding the person or persons who murdered Cynteria in 2000.

In her mind, no one cares about a dead black girl, especially one who did not have a stable family life and who frequently ran away from foster homes.

''I try to put myself in her shoes and backtrack to figure out what happened that night,'' said Wright, a freshman communications major at Miami Dade College.

Through essays and the Internet, Wright does her own sleuthing, hoping to draw out a killer and elevate the profile of a girl who she claims was her first true friend.

Her crusade caught the eye of state Sen. Frederica Wilson, educator and noted child advocate. Wilson says she will join Wright's quest to draw attention to the unsolved murder.

''Keona is dedicated. She just wants to do what's right,'' Wilson said. ``We don't have enough people like that any more, who genuinely care.''

Today, Wilson will host an event in Liberty City to remind South Florida that Cynteria's killer has not been caught and to announce a reward for information leading to an arrest. There will also be a cake in memory of Cynteria, who would have turned 19 this month.

Wilson believes a reward might entice someone to step forward.

One of Wright's essays about Cynteria caught the attention of the staff at America's Most Wanted, the nationally broadcast crime-fighting reality series. Last month, producers selected her writings about the case for the show's website.

``Cynteria was only 13 years old when she was murdered. I was 13 as well but her death left a void in me, which can only be filled when her killer is brought to justice,'' Wright wrote.

Cynteria Phillips was taken by state child welfare officials from her drug-addicted mother when she was 4 years old. By age 5, previous Miami Herald reports show, she had been physically and sexually abused.

Cynteria lived in nine different shelters and foster homes. She didn't stay in one place long, preferring the streets to the stability of a home. She last stayed at Miami Bridge, a shelter for children, but ran away from there as well and was reported missing July 30, 2000.

On Aug. 14, 2000, Cynteria visited her mother in a Miami housing project and a friend at Miami Bridge. She was last seen at about 10:30 p.m. boarding a bus.

Her body was found next to Edison High the next morning. Police said she died from a blow to the head. Her mother later said police told her that the girl had been raped.

Her killing drew heavy media attention but scant public outrage. No suspects were found.

The muted community response troubled Miami police homicide Sgt. Eunice Cooper. Cooper said members of one organization, MADDADS, passed out fliers, hoping people would come forward.

''Besides them, there was just not an outrage as there should have been, not that it would have solved the murder,'' Cooper said. ``Someone should have cared.''

''Nothing was happening. The case was ignored. Everybody ignored it,'' Wright said.

A UNLIKELY FRIENDSHIP

Wright's account of their friendship could not be independently verified. But her passion about the case appears real.

She says the two girls met in 1998, when both landed in detention in a home economics room at Norland Middle School. ''I can't remember what I did -- just being bad, I guess,'' Wright said.

Unhappy about their detention, the girls turned on 12 stoves, she said.

''We tried to burn down the school,'' she said.

They hung out at the corner shopping plaza or the Winn-Dixie grocery store.

As Wright describes it, the girls were like yin and yang. Cynteria was jovial, smiling and slapping high-fives with people she met. Keona was more moody and ready to fight. When Keona wanted to skip class, Cynteria would lecture her about staying in school.

But Cynteria didn't stay around. By January 2000, she had left Norland Middle. Wright occasionally saw her at the grocery store. That is where they last met, in May 2000.

So through letters, essays and the Internet, Wright wants to bring attention to Cynteria's death. One essay appeared this summer in some of The Miami Herald's Neighbors sections.

``The older I get the more pain I feel when I think about her. I wonder if Cynteria found in death what she never had in life. All she wanted was love.''

A website Wright originally created as a tribute, www.cynterialegacy.org, was updated this summer to include a message board on unsolved crimes against children and discussion groups on missing and murdered children.

Wright has posted old news clippings about Cynteria on crime tracker message forums. Sometimes she criticizes the local police investigation of the case.

A couple of people have written back, she said, to express admiration for her cause.

But so far, there have been no leads.

Wright has raised eyebrows among Miami police homicide detectives, who say her intentions are admirable but woefully off base.

Cooper said the investigation is active and that detectives are determined to find Cynteria's killers.

''This case has not been just sitting in a closet somewhere. None of our cases do. This case touched the investigators from the onset,'' Cooper said, refusing to provide details on the investigation.

ALLIES IN THE CAUSE

Rebecca Campany, an America's Most Wanted website producer and show spokeswoman, said Wright's story was chosen first for a new ''My Story'' Internet feature because of the ''incredibly touching, incredibly moving'' letter she wrote.

''So many writers crave justice, but they're not as poignant,'' Campany said. ``Her letter was the strongest. She has incredible appeal as to how she writes. She sucks you in.''

Lakeisha Phillips-Mortimer, Cynteria's sister, is pleased someone remembers.

''I think it's really good she feels so much for my sister,'' said Lakeisha, 17, a senior at a Miami-Dade high school. ``I'm sure she's trying to make sure no one forgets.''

Wright also has gained an ally in Sen. Wilson, another black woman who focused major attention on Rilya Wilson, a black girl who went missing while in foster care and is feared dead. Wright met Wilson earlier this year.

'She said, `I've watched your career. You didn't let up on Rilya, and I don't want to let up on Cynteria,' '' Wilson said.

Wilson was so impressed that she agreed to let Wright speak about her friend during a community birthday celebration for Rilya. She got a promise from the senator to help raise awareness about Cynteria's case.

''She reminds me of a young Oprah Winfrey,'' Wilson said.

Wright said writing helps ease her pain. Her anger remains, however.

''I'm angry that Cynteria left and I'm angry at the system that took her away,'' she said. ``She was my best friend. It's the least I can do.''