Kyron “Rondo” Howerton was an unabashed “momma’s boy.”
He and his mother, Kimberly, hung out at the mall, walked along the Delaware River waterfront, cooked soul food together, and swapped relationship and parenting advice.
When Kimberly dropped more than 130 pounds, Kyron cheered her on Instagram: “Ma, you got this! You’re looking like a snack now.”
After she began dating her now-fiancé, Charles Greene, Kyron’s protective streak came out in full.
“Promise me that you’re going to take care of my mom,” he insisted. “I’ve never seen her so happy.”
“He would do anything for you,” Kimberly remembered. “His heart was pure.”
On Aug. 31, 2021 at around 2:45 a.m., Kyron was fatally shot in the 5100 block of Marion Street in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. Police have made no arrests. The shooting occurred on the corner of Kyron’s grandmother’s house, down the street from where he lived with his mother.
Earlier that day, Kyron and his family gathered for a celebration at Old Country Buffet. Later, he gave his daughter, Kaiden, a bath, before leaving to hang out with his uncle at his grandmother’s house.
After 2 a.m., Charles, Kimberly’s fiancé, heard gunshots erupting outside. Kimberly kept calling her son’s phone with no response. When they arrived at the crime scene, Kyron’s phone was ringing on the ground, the screen lit up with “Mom.”
Kimberly now drives the long way out of the neighborhood. Her son’s memorial of photographs and teddy bears remains perched on the corner.
She feels guilty about moving because Kyron, a talented construction worker, remodeled her house — his stamp is everywhere.
Born in Germantown on July 11, 1997, Kyron was skilled at tinkering with broken bicycles and dollhouses in shambles. Initially self-taught, he later worked for his uncle’s construction business, renovating kitchens and overhauling backyards.
As a child, Kyron was kept occupied with various after school programs that took him to movies, ice skating, and every amusement park within a 100-mile radius. He wasn’t into sports, but was an avid gamer, from “Manhunt” to “Madden NFL.”
Kyron was a risk-taker, riding around with his cousin, Irron Trower, on their Ripstick skateboards. One time, when Kyron was about 10 years old, the pair took their grandmother’s car for a spin down the street with Kyron at the wheel.
Gerri Trower, their grandmother, was the heart of the family. She had a nickname for each one of her grandchildren — Kyron was “Juju”— and hid dollar bills in their Easter eggs.
A couple months before his death, Kyron helped throw Gerri a 65th birthday party. In a Ziploc bag, she still keeps the red polo shirt and Tommy Hilfiger hat that he wore that day.
Kyron was the second-youngest of his siblings, Keona, Keynan and Kaliyah. He and Kaliyah looked so much alike that the family called them twins. She enjoyed wearing his hoodies.
Kyron was obsessed with Vans shoes, buying them in every color and design, including SpongeBob SquarePants. His favorite movie was “Friday,” especially the scene with Mr. Jones in the kitchen complaining about his chitlins gone missing. Anticipating it each time, he would burst out laughing.
As a teen, Kyron belonged to a dance group called the Dollar Boyz and tore it up breakdancing, spinning and wu-tanging at local clubs.
He built a female following. When he wasn’t busting on Irron, he coached him on the importance of self-esteem.
“We always lifted each other up,” Irron recalled. The two kept in touch even after Irron moved to Florida before high school. Kyron ended every phone call with “I love you.”
Kyron excelled at math, particularly measurements, and graduated from YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School. He became certified in home remodeling and renovation.
Over the years, he amassed a number of tattoos on his chest and arms, including “Kim” for his mom and “blessed.”
When he wasn’t working, Kyron spoiled his daughter, Kaiden, now 3. (Irron’s son is also named Kayden, but he swears it was just a coincidence).
Kyron and Kaiden were inseparable. They enjoyed belting out the “Baby Shark” song and watching “Peppa Pig” on the tablet. Kaiden inherited her father’s goofy personality and he posted videos of her twirling to rap music. He was never without his backpack full of treats and juice boxes.
“He always put his daughter first,” said Kyron’s older brother, Keynan Green.
The family enjoyed annual summer trips to Wildwood. One time, Kyron and Keynan got locked out of their hotel room and had to sleep on the balcony. Another time, the family donned pinstripe suits and took photographs dressed up as Wild Wild West bank robbers.
Even after Kyron moved to North Philadelphia to live with Kaiden’s mother, he FaceTimed Kimberly for an hour every day.
After the relationship ended, he moved back in with his mom last year. He felt the strain of not living with his daughter full-time. “I’m too young to be dealing with the stuff I’m dealing with,” he told his mom.
Still, Kyron and Kimberly looked toward the future. They sold home cooked meals from their home and dreamed about opening up a restaurant someday. Kimberly always dreaded the task of peeling yams, so her son gladly did it for her.
“I crave a conversation with my son right now,” she said “He was so mature and so wise.”
Kyron is buried at Chelten Hills Cemetery, wearing his Looney Tunes Members Only jacket and a solid black pair of Vans.
A reward of up to $20,000 if available to anyone that comes forward with information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for Kyron’s murder. Anonymous calls can be submitted by calling the Citizens Crime Commission at 215-546-TIPS.
Resources are available for people and communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Click here for more information.
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