A Former La. Mayor Was Killed Alongside Daughter. A Secret Video Shows Him Admitting He Sexually Abused Her (Exclusive)
Joe Cornelius Sr. was a beloved figure in Minden, La. His own daughter, Keisha Miles, and her children knew a different man behind closed doors
Joe Cornelius Sr and his daughter Keisha Miles were found dead in his home on Sept. 1
Police allege the man's 11-year-old grandson admitted to the killings
Now, videos uncovered by Miles' 17-year-old son aims to expose Cornelius' secret life
A small Louisiana city was struck by tragedy last month after a beloved former mayor and his adult daughter were both fatally shot — allegedly by the woman's son.
Joe Cornelius Sr., 82, was found slain in his Minden, La., home on Sept. 1, per Minden police. His daughter, 31-year-old Keisha Miles, was found dead next to him in an incident that has shaken the community.
Police allege Miles’ 11-year-old son confessed to the shootings. (PEOPLE is not naming the boy because he's a minor.)
Now, following the double homicide, the case has taken another disturbing turn: Videos exclusively obtained by PEOPLE, which were discovered by Miles' son, 17-year-old Uriah Miles, appear to show Miles confronting Cornelius about molesting her and Cornelius admitting to doing so. Uriah recovered the videos on Miles' iCloud after the killings.
In the videos, which according to Uriah are from 2021, Miles approaches Cornelius and claims that through the years, he'd buy her things in exchange for sexual activity.
“When you do things for me, you expect something in return. Like when you got the furniture, like when you got that car for me, you always wanted something in return and what you wanted was something sexual …right?” Miles asks Cornelius.
Cornelius is silent at first, but then responds: “Whatever it is, you mostly enjoyed it.” He appears to be unaware that he is being recorded.
“No, I never did Joe, because I felt like I had to, in order to survive,” Miles responds.
She goes on to share sexually graphic details of what she says her father “needed” from her in exchange for goods.
At one point, when Miles makes the accusation that he "propositioned" her for sexual favors, Cornelius says, "I ain't never said nothing like that."
But when Miles persists in her accusations, Cornelius appears again to acknowledge that he molested her.
“You said you didn't tell nobody about this. But you have,” he says.
To this, Miles responds: “You told me…you say…they will never believe you."
Cornelius replies, "And nobody will."
Cornelius was revered in the community, having briefly served as interim mayor of Minden in 2013, per the Webster Parish Journal and KTBS.
A former Minden city councilman, he was known for his work with local youth and earned the nickname "Mister Joe," serving ice cream to the children of Webster Parish, according to the Webster Parish Journal and a 2003 newspaper clipping shared by KTLA.
In 1990, Cornelius founded the Concerned Citizens of Minden, which worked with local children and raised money for scholarships.
Related: Boy, 10, Reportedly Confesses to Killing 82-Year-Old Former Louisiana Mayor and His Daughter
But to his grandsons Uriah, as well as the 11-year-old suspect, Cornelius was a different person. They knew from their mother that their grandfather had sexually abused her as a child — and the abuse never stopped.
Miles was concerned about Cornelius' behavior around her children as well. The suspect's lawyer, Christopher Murell, tells PEOPLE that Cornelius would physically abuse the boy.
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
Miles was also worried that her father would sexually assault her 6-year-old daughter, and often asked the brothers to keep an eye on the girl if Cornelius was around, both Murell and Uriah tell PEOPLE.
Says Uriah, "He was always looking at her."
The teen adds: "He would tell her [there is] something on the floor and [ask her] to pick it up or something like that. He [would] want her to sit on his lap."
Minden Police Chief Jared McIver tells PEOPLE authorities had heard “rumors” about Cornelius, including about his alleged sexual abuse, but have found no “substantive evidence” to back these claims.
But Uriah is hopeful the videos he recovered will expose Cornelius’ secret life and let the public know about the abuse he allegedly inflicted upon his family.
"The proof is in the video so I'm not really worried about if they'll believe me or not," Uriah says, "'Cause he literally is saying with his own [words]."
Murell tells PEOPLE that the 11-year-old is being tried as a juvenile and has entered a not guilty plea.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on People.