It's August 2016. Inside a courtroom in Detroit, Michigan, 25-year-old Maxwell Barak was waiting

to hear his fate.

Judge Cynthia Gray-Hathaway told the packed courtroom that she had received a note from

the jury, saying they had reached a verdict after the eight-day trial.

About eight months earlier, in December 2015, 24-year-old Kajavia Globes' body had been

discovered in a trash can outside of vacant home. It would be two months before her ex-boyfriend,

Maxwell Barak, would be arrested and charged with her murder.

But in a case with no official cause of death, no definitive murder weapon, and another suspect

with a pretty convincing motive, it wouldn't necessarily be an open and shut case.

Kajavia's friends and family members were likely holding their breath while the verdict

was being read.

Maxwell Barak, on the other hand, couldn't help but smile.

This is Jillian and in partnership with Law and Crime, you are listening to Court

Junkie, episode 159.

Kajavia Globes was the oldest of four daughters. She was extremely close with her family, but

especially close with her mother, La Shanda Globes.

I have four daughters, which Kajavia's the oldest, wonderful girls.

Every last one. I had Kajavia at 16. She'd all pass me all of them at, actually.

I'm a proud mother. Kajavia was the perfect big sister. They call it sister mama.

Because when I left, she took control. She was my everything.

In December 2015, Kajavia seemed to be happy in life. She was a phone rep and had just

received a promotion. She had moved out of the family home and had been living with

...