On July 8, 2021, the quiet community of Raymore, Missouri, was shaken when 39-year-old female Katie Mae Kellen was discovered deceased in her home on South Lakeshore Drive. The discovery was made by her mother, with whom she shared the residence, after she returned home around 8:30 p.m. and found Kellen lifeless with a fatal gunshot wound to the head.
Investigators determined that several personal items were missing from the home, including a small safe containing approximately $23,000 in cash, a diamond ring, and two cell phones, indicating that a robbery had occurred in conjunction with the homicide.
The investigation quickly gained momentum as the Kansas City Metro Squad was activated to assist local authorities. Detectives reviewed surveillance footage from neighboring homes and local businesses, which helped establish a timeline of Kellen’s final hours. Video evidence showed Kellen on July 7, the day prior to the discovery of her body, in the company of a man driving a white Kia Sorento. Footage from a nearby residence captured the vehicle arriving at Kellen's home that afternoon. The man was seen leaving the house alone shortly thereafter, carrying luggage and other items to the car before driving away.
Police identified the man in the video as 41-year-old Dale L. Williamson of Independence, Missouri. Further investigation revealed that Williamson and Kellen were acquaintances, having been spotted together at various locations in Raymore and Belton leading up to the incident. Authorities tracked Williamson to his residence in Independence on July 11, 2021. When officers approached him in his driveway, he attempted to flee on foot but was quickly apprehended. A search of his vehicle yielded two 9mm handguns, one of which was later linked to the ammunition used in the crime.
Williamson, who had a prior criminal record including convictions for bank robbery, was charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. During the legal proceedings, prosecutors presented evidence that he had shot Kellen and looted her home before fleeing. In December 2024, Williamson was convicted and subsequently sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder charge, with additional consecutive sentences handed down for the associated crimes, providing a measure of justice for Kellen's grieving family.
