Riley, 3, captured law enforcement officers’ hearts when they saved her after her father killed her mother in North Carolina, abducted her and crashed their vehicle Jan. 4, 2022 on Interstate 24 near Murfreesboro. After the crash, her father, Brent Bockes, retreated with her to a Murfreesboro motel. An Amber Alert about Riley matched the car in the crash.

Rutherford County Sheriff’s deputies, Murfreesboro Police officers and K9 Officer Cody Shanabarger with K9 Beau tracked Bockes and Riley to the motel where they arrested him. Officers soothed her with care and pizza. Kids at the motel shared clothes with her.

Riley captured the community’s hearts as they rallied around her until her adult sister, Erikka Emmons, took her home a few days later.

Bockes pleaded guilty to second-degree murder of Riley’s mother, Deanna Michelle Bockes, Oct. 4. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Lee County, N.C. Assistant District Attorneys Byron Beasley and Emily Everest said Bockes admitted the murder occurred in Riley’s presence, he took advantage of a position of trust or confidence in committing the murder and that he was on probation.

Superior Court Judge C. Winston Gilchrist found those factors determined the life sentence without parole was justified.

Emmons said she was OK with Bockes’ sentence because she is “guaranteed he won’t ever be out again and guaranteed he will not walk on her door step.

‘With him getting life without parole, I feel satisfied and just knowing he could never get out and never hurt Riley and our family,” Emmons said. “I’m just glad that justice has been served and he can’t hurt anybody else.”

Riley Emmons, who now calls Emmons “Mom,” lives with Emmons, her husband, Jonathan, and their three children in North Carolina. She is doing as well as can be expected.

“She is moving forward and overcoming the trauma,” Emmons said. “She is a strong little girl and I know she will continue to strive.”

Riley, who is now in the second grade, loves school. She makes friends with other kids. She loves playing outside on the swing set and playing with the cats.

After Riley was located, police and deputies cared for Riley until she was placed in a foster home and then reunited with Emmons and other family members.

Detective Lt. Steve Craig of the Criminal Investigations Division said Rutherford County businesses, church members and residents donated hotel rooms for the family, meals and other funds while they stayed in Murfreesboro.

“How incredibly proud I was of the community getting behind this family who had been in a tragedy,” Craig said.

Emmons thanked the Rutherford County and Murfreesboro residents who supported the family.

“We appreciate what everybody did for us,” Emmons said. “We are thankful. There is now way we can say how much it meant to us and how grateful we are.”

After Bockes’ plea, the Lee County District Attorney’s Office sent an email to Rutherford County detectives and deputies who showed compassion and a willingness to cooperate with the case.

“Erikka spoke often about the support and care you provided to them while in Tennessee, and after,” the email said. “Your kindness during such a horrific time was everything. Thank you.”

Craig said the email noted the cooperation with all the sheriff’s deputies and detectives was the best they experienced with an outside agency in 25 years of experience.

“The compliment paid by the assistant district attorney was incredible,” Craig said.

Photos (Above Article - Left): Riley, 3, eats pizza after being rescued by Rutherford County Sheriff’s deputies and Murfreesboro Police and K9. (Above Article - Right) Riley poses as she enters second grade.