On February 17, 2021, a violent domestic disturbance in Kansas City, Missouri, claimed the life of 19-year-old Black male Raymon Hill and his mother. Police officers were dispatched to a townhouse in the 1900 block of West Pennway Terrace in the Westside North neighborhood after receiving a 911 call regarding a shooting. Upon arrival, first responders discovered Hill and his 35-year-old mother, Khasheme Strother, suffering from fatal gunshot wounds inside their home.
Both victims were pronounced dead at the scene, marking a tragic double homicide that shook the local community.
The investigation revealed that the incident stemmed from an altercation between Strother and her boyfriend, Dmarius M. Bozeman. According to court records and witness testimony from juveniles present in the home, a physical fight had broken out between the couple. Hill, the eldest of Strother’s five children, reportedly intervened to protect his mother and younger siblings during the dispute. Bozeman, who was armed, fired shots that struck Strother. In the ensuing chaos, he also turned the weapon on Hill. Bozeman later claimed to authorities that he had fired 'warning shots' that accidentally hit his girlfriend and that he shot Hill in self-defense after the teenager allegedly fired at him.
Law enforcement arrested Bozeman, who was found at the scene with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to his leg. He was initially taken to a hospital for treatment before being taken into custody. Prosecutors charged him with two counts of second-degree murder and multiple counts of armed criminal action. The case highlighted issues of domestic violence, with family members describing Hill as a protector who died trying to save his mother.
In September 2022, Dmarius Bozeman stood trial for the killings. A Jackson County jury rejected his self-defense claims and found him guilty on all counts, including second-degree murder and armed criminal action. Following the conviction, a judge sentenced Bozeman in December 2022 to 30 years in prison for his role in the deaths of Raymon Hill and Khasheme Strother.
