Updated: June 2026
Case: Candice Kyser and David Keller double murder
Location: Fort Mitchell, Alabama
Date: May 8, 1999
Status: Unsolved
Candice Kyser and David Keller were young parents trying to build a life together in Fort Mitchell, Alabama. They were only 19 years old when they were found shot to death inside their home at the Branching Pines Mobile Home Park on May 8, 1999.
Their two-and-a-half-year-old daughter was found alive inside the home.
More than two decades later, no one has been convicted of the murders. The case remains one of Russell County’s painful unsolved double homicides, and the families of Candice and David are still asking for answers.
Who Were Candice Kyser and David Keller?
Chasity Candice “Candis” Kyser and David Allen Keller were a young couple from Alabama. Many reports and family posts use the nickname “Candis,” but the more searchable spelling online is usually “Candice Kyser,” so this article uses both for clarity.
Candice had just turned 19 two days before she was killed. She was remembered by family as a loving mother who cared deeply for her daughter and was working toward getting her G.E.D.
David was also 19 and was close to his 20th birthday. He was working hard and learning a trade, with hopes of building a better future for his young family.
They were not strangers to responsibility. They had become parents young, but relatives described them as committed to their daughter and to each other.
The Night Before the Murders
On the night before they were found dead, Candice and David had reportedly spent time with Candice’s family. Nothing seemed unusual.
They later returned to their home at Branching Pines Mobile Home Park in Fort Mitchell. The next morning, Candice was supposed to meet her mother, Sheila Kyser. When Candice did not show up and did not call, Sheila became worried.
At first, it may have seemed like a missed plan or a delay. But a mother’s instinct told Sheila something was wrong.
She went to the mobile home to check on her daughter.
Sheila Kyser’s Discovery
When Sheila arrived, she knocked on the front door. No one answered. She knocked at the back door. Still nothing.
Then she looked through a window and saw her young granddaughter inside. The child appeared to be alone.
Sheila climbed through a window to get inside the home. What she found would stay with her forever.
Candice was found shot in the bedroom. David was also found shot inside the home, reportedly near the front area of the trailer. Their daughter had survived, but she had been left in the home for hours while her parents lay dead.
It is difficult to imagine the horror of that moment. For Sheila, it was not only the discovery of a crime scene. It was the discovery of her daughter’s death, her daughter’s partner’s death, and a child left alive in the middle of it.
What Investigators Found
The murders did not fit neatly into an easy explanation.
No murder weapon was found inside the home. That helped rule out the idea of a murder-suicide.
Robbery also did not appear to be the clear motive. Reports from later coverage said Candice’s jewelry was still in the home, and there was no obvious sign that the couple had been killed during a simple burglary.
Some reports also mention cigarette butts and beer bottles near the home that relatives believed did not belong to Candice or David. If those details were connected to the crime, they may have represented a possible clue. But publicly, no breakthrough came from them.
The most painful part of the case is that there was no obvious motive. Candice and David were young parents, not people known for dangerous lifestyles. Their family has repeatedly said they cannot understand why anyone would want them dead.
Why the Case Went Cold
The case appears to have gone cold because investigators had no clear suspect, no public motive, and no weapon recovered at the scene.
In cases like this, the first days matter enormously. If no one comes forward, if physical evidence does not quickly identify someone, and if there is no obvious motive, a case can slow down even when the crime is brutal.
That is what happened here. Years passed. Anniversaries came and went. Candice and David’s daughter grew up without her parents. Their families kept asking questions, but the answers did not come.
The Daughter Who Survived
One of the most heartbreaking parts of the case is that Candice and David’s daughter survived the attack.
She was around two and a half years old when her parents were killed. She was too young to understand what had happened, but old enough to be left in a terrifying situation.
Family members have suggested that Candice may have tried to protect or hide her daughter before she was killed. That detail has never turned the case into a solved one, but it has remained part of how the family remembers Candice: as a mother trying to keep her child safe in her final moments.
Years later, the daughter, Kayla, became part of the family’s effort to seek answers. Public coverage has mentioned fundraising efforts to hire a private investigator and renew attention on the case.
The Family’s Fight for Answers
Candice and David’s relatives have never stopped wanting justice.
Family members created public pages and appeals asking anyone with information to come forward. Candice’s aunt Regina Lloyd has spoken about how the murders still haunt the family and how difficult it is to live for years without knowing who committed the crime or why.
That is why this case should not be treated as an old story that no longer matters. For the family, it is still present. Every anniversary is another year without answers.
There has also been a reward connected to the case. Reports have stated that the Alabama governor issued a $5,000 reward and that Candice’s uncle matched it, bringing the total reward to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
How to Submit Tips
Anyone with information about the murders of Candice Kyser and David Keller should contact the Russell County Sheriff’s Office.
Russell County Sheriff’s Office: 334-298-6535
Even a small detail can matter in a cold case. Someone may remember a person, a vehicle, an argument, a rumor, or something unusual near Branching Pines Mobile Home Park around May 7 or May 8, 1999.
After more than two decades, the people responsible may believe the case has been forgotten. The family wants them to know it has not.
Why This Case Still Matters
The murders of Candice Kyser and David Keller remain disturbing because the crime was so direct, so personal, and still so unexplained.
Two young parents were killed in their own home. Their child was spared but left behind. No weapon was found. Robbery did not appear to explain it. The family has spent decades wondering who did it and why.
Cases like this can still be solved. A witness may finally speak. Old evidence may be tested with newer technology. A person who once stayed silent may decide they no longer want to carry the secret.
Candice and David were not just names in an old case file. They were a daughter, a son, young parents, and people whose lives ended before they had a real chance to begin.
Their family is still waiting.
Timeline of the Candice Kyser and David Keller Case
May 6, 1999: Candice Kyser turned 19.
Night of May 7, 1999: Candice and David reportedly spent time with family before returning home.
May 8, 1999: Sheila Kyser went to check on Candice after she did not show up as expected.
May 8, 1999: Sheila entered the home and found Candice and David shot to death. Their young daughter was found alive inside.
Following investigation: No murder weapon was found, and the case remained unsolved.
Later years: The family continued public appeals, including a Facebook page, reward information, and calls for tips.
Current public status: No public conviction has been reported. The case remains unsolved.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were Candice Kyser and David Keller?
Candice Kyser and David Keller were a young couple from Fort Mitchell, Alabama. They were both 19 years old when they were found shot to death in 1999.
Where were Candice Kyser and David Keller murdered?
They were found dead inside their home at Branching Pines Mobile Home Park on Highway 165 in Fort Mitchell, Alabama.
When did the murders happen?
They were discovered on May 8, 1999.
Was their daughter in the home?
Yes. Their two-and-a-half-year-old daughter was found alive inside the home.
Was anyone arrested for the murders?
No public conviction has been reported. The case remains unsolved.
Is there a reward in the case?
Reports have stated that there is a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
Who should people contact with information?
Anyone with information should contact the Russell County Sheriff’s Office at 334-298-6535.
Sources:
WTVM
Catch My Killer podcast
True Crime Edition
Justice for Candis & David family page