In the episode titled ‘Thomas the Terrible’ of ‘Very Scary People,’ the focus is on the 2015 murder case of Lisa Amodio Riley, who was shot to death by her husband, Yathomas Riley, a professional boxer. Besides delving deep into that case, the episode also explores the complicated case of Koketia King, the boxer’s former girlfriend who was shot twice but managed to survive. While Yathomas claimed she shot herself, Koketia had a different side of the story.
Koketia King Survived From Two Gunshot Wounds Allegedly Shot by His Former Boyfriend
Hailing from Perrine, Florida, Koketia King was a state correctional officer at the Dade Correctional Institution in Florida City when she first met Yathomas Riley, an amateur boxer at the time. At the time, both of them had two children, each from their respective previous relationships. As sparks flew between them, they began dating and moved in together around 2003. A couple of years later, around the holiday season of 2025, she became pregnant with his child. In September 2006, they welcomed their son into the world and named him Yaheim. The once-loving relationship soon took a violent turn on June 10, 2010.
After suffering from two gunshot wounds, she was rushed to the hospital and managed to survive. According to Koketia, they got into a heated argument about an unspecified subject. She claimed that when things got out of hand, Yathomas pulled out a gun and shot her. However, she gave different versions of the story under oath and even lied to the authorities about a key piece of evidence. On the other hand, the boxer maintained his innocence and claimed that she shot herself twice when he caught her engaging in tax fraud on duty inside the jail. Going with Koketia’s accusations, he was arrested for the attempted first-degree murder charge.
Much to the disappointment of the prosecution, they could not gather enough evidence against the accused to take the case to trial. Koketia’s lies and different versions of the story also did not help the case. Thus, after a couple of years of prison confinement, Yathomas was released from prison. However, he would be involved in the murder of his wife, Lisa Amodio Riley, in 2015, for which he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
Koketia King Resides in Austin, Texas, With Her Sons
The Miami Palmetto Senior High graduate, Koketia King, continued living her life after the shooting incident and tried her best to move past it. The year 2019 turned out to be a significant year for the former prison guard as she not only relocated to Killeen, Texas, but she also gave love another chance in December 2019. Ever since then, she has appeared to be in a healthy and loving relationship with her partner. For her birthday in 2019, she also created a fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. She explained about it, saying, “For my birthday this year, I’m asking for donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. I’ve chosen this nonprofit because their mission means a lot to me, and I hope you’ll consider contributing as a way to celebrate with me. Every little bit will help me reach my goal.”
As of today, she is the proud mother of four children — a daughter and three sons. She also has at least two grandchildren, including a 9-year-old grandson named DJ, who also holds a special corner in her heart. She celebrated her birthday in August 2024 with her friends. While her daughter, Damela, is in her late 20s, two of her three sons, including Yaheim and Malachi, reside with her in Austin, Texas. The LBJ High School student, Yaheim, is a key player for the LBJ Jaguars Varsity Football team. As a matter of fact, in December 2024, he was named the defensive player of the year in his district, making Koketia proud of him.
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