NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — A woman was sentenced to life on Friday for the murder of a Granby High School student who police say was shot to death in Newport News in 2020 to prevent her from testifying against her accused rapist.
Crystal Kaiser-Albritton pleaded guilty in March 2024 to first-degree murder and a gun charge in exchange for the dismissal of five other counts.
Watch: Virginia woman pleads guilty to murder of 17-year-old girl
Friday morning, emotions were on full display inside the Newport News courtroom where Kaiser-Albritton was sentenced.
Prior to sentencing, Cowell's aunt, Titina Cowell, and a friend of Asia's were called by the Commonwealth and read emotional statements about what kind of person Asia was and how her death has impacted them.
Along with her life sentence for first-degree murder, Kaiser-Albritton received three years for a gun charge related to the crime.
As News 3 has reported, Kaiser-Albritton, her husband Devin Albritton, and Albritton’s goddaughter Dazha Feaster are all accused of being involved.
“I think about the fact that my niece is, I believe she’s praising in heaven. I believe that she is rejoicing. I know that she was with us, even leading up to today. She knows how much we’ve all been processing this," Titina Cowell told reporters after the sentencing.
Watch: Police body camera footage shows the discovery Asia Cowell's body. We have blurred the body.
Court documents state Asia was lured into a Norfolk home under the impression that she’d be providing hair styling services to a woman who reached out to her on Instagram. That woman was Kaiser-Albritton, documents state.
Once Asia was inside the home, court documents say the Albrittons and Feaster kidnapped her. Feaster's brother is the man Asia was set to testify against before her death.
The three suspects then drove Asia to a wooded area in Newport News, where Kaiser-Albritton shot her in the back of the head, documents say. A couple weeks later, police found Asia’s body.
“Obviously, Crystal is remorseful—as she said in court—that she was sorry that this happened," Kaiser-Albritton's attorney, Artisha Gregg, said.
Prior to being sentenced, Kaiser-Albritton offered an apology when asked by the judge if she had anything to say.
“If I could take it back, I would," she said, in part.
Gregg, however, argued Kaiser-Albritton was not the shooter, and because of that, argued in court that she should not get life in prison.
She also argued her mental health should be taken into consideration.
“She did have mental illness. She was diagnosed with mental illness," Gregg said.
The judge ordered Kaiser-Albritton's sentences to be served consecutively, meaning if she is ever released from her life sentence she would still have to serve the three years for the gun charge.
The Commonwealth declined to comment Friday because the other two suspects' cases were still active. As of Friday, Devin Albritton was scheduled to be sentenced on September 6. Dazha Feaster was scheduled for a plea October 30.
Feaster’s brother has been cleared of wrongdoing in connection to Asia's death.
