Left inset: Tiakayla Hendrix (WHAM/YouTube). Center inset: Roy Chambers (WHAM/YouTube). Right inset: Malakai Stovall (GoFundMe). Background: The New York home that was set on fire by Tiakayla Hendrix's sister, killing 5-year-old Malakai Stovall, while Tiakayla and Roy Chambers kept a lookout (WHAM/YouTube).
A man and woman from New York who kept a lookout for an arson accomplice — who set the wrong house on fire in retaliation for an alleged attack on her dad, killing a 5-year-old boy who was asleep inside — were both sentenced Monday for their roles in the murder.
Tiakayla Hendrix, 22, and Roy Chambers, 36, both pleaded guilty to keeping an eye out while Hendrix's sister, Taquida Hendrix, sparked the July 2024 house fire in Rochester that claimed Malakai Stovall's life. They were sentenced to nine years and 12 years, respectively, as part of their plea deals. Taquida's sentencing is scheduled to take place after a Jan. 7, 2026, hearing.
"I couldn't imagine losing one of my kids," Chambers told Malakai's family during the sentencing hearing, according to local NBC affiliate WHEC.
"I truly understand your pain," Chambers said. "I'm sorry for what took place."
Tiakayla Hendrix, who testified against her sister at her trial in September, also expressed remorse for what happened.
"I'm sorry, truly," she said. "I'm sorry for this incident. It wasn't my intention to hurt anybody. I hope you guys can forgive me with all your heart and accept my apology."
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Malakai's mother and grandmother both spoke during the proceeding, with his mom Brianna Akers saying, "I just want them to know how much they destroyed my life… I can't hold my emotions. It's been more than a struggle to carry on without him…I don't truly think they understand or truly care."
The boy's grandmother, Karen Mitchell, recounted how she felt after the arson attack, telling the court, "I felt as if my heart had stopped, I wished it was me…Watching as my greatest gift was taking his last breath."
It took Monroe County jurors just 30 minutes to convict Taquida Hendrix, 31, of second-degree murder and first-degree arson after her trial in September, according to WHEC.
"It does make me feel a little bit better than I thought it would," Akers told WHEC after the conviction. "At least be able to hear and see the same thing I did and that is guilty of murder and arson and everything she was charged of."
Hendrix reportedly showed no emotion as the verdict was read following the brief deliberation by jurors, per WHEC.
Flames ripped through Malakai's house on July 28, 2024, around 2 a.m. after Taquida Hendrix poured gasoline on the two-story residence and set it ablaze. Tiakayla Hendrix and Chambers rode with her to the home before keeping a lookout, according to prosecutors. Malakai, who was tucked into bed on the second floor, was severely injured in the fire and died several days later at a local hospital.
"I struggle with the whys," Mitchell said in court, according to RochesterFirst. "Why him? Why us?"
Prosecutors said the Hendrix sisters and Chambers wanted to get revenge for an alleged attack on the Hendrixes' father earlier in the day. The trio thought a person involved in the alleged attack lived at Malakai's home, but it turned out they went to the wrong house.
"The sister of the defendant confirmed our theory of this case, and that is that the defendant is the one who set this fire," said Assistant District Attorney Kevin Sunderland during Taquida Hendrix's trial, according to local NBC affiliate WHAM. "She poured the liquid that was ignited outside of the home of the victim, and she's the reason why this happened," Sunderland said.
"My baby was up there [in the house] for 21 minutes with no heartbeat," Akers told WHAM in July 2024.
Tiakayla Hendrix and Chambers were each charged with murder and arson, but they agreed to plea deals on the arson charge in exchange for their testimony against Taquida Hendrix, according to prosecutors. Tiakayla Hendrix was accused of purchasing the lighter used to spark the fire, but she did not take part in setting it.
According to her lawyer, "She certainly did not know there was a child inside that building at the time," per WHAM. "She had no role in actually setting the fire itself," the lawyer said.
Malakai's grandmother told local media outlets after the deals were accepted that the family was shocked by the agreements and expected all three individuals to go on trial.
"I just cried. I mean, it's very bittersweet," Mitchell told WHAM. "I want them to understand it wasn't just, you know, this 5-year-old, or this little boy, who died in a fire; he was a little boy who lived, and he loved life."
