In the early morning hours of May 26, 2020, the life of 22-year-old Camry A. Alonzo was tragically cut short in her Independence, Missouri, apartment. A recent mother, Alonzo was shot and killed by her boyfriend, Deon D. Sanders. The violent end to her life came after what was described as a night of arguing between the couple.
The events leading to the fatal shooting began when Sanders, then 27 years old, returned to the apartment he shared with Alonzo.
According to his account to the police, he had been out with a friend and two other women, which had been a point of contention with Alonzo earlier. Upon his return, he claimed to have found the apartment door open. He did not see Alonzo in their bedroom and found the bathroom door locked. After calling out her name with no response, he fired shots through the closed door, striking and killing her. A neighbor later reported hearing three bumps followed by three gunshots around 6 a.m. In the moments leading up to her death, a terrified Alonzo sent a text message to a family member pleading, 'I need help please!!!!'
After the shooting, Sanders took their infant son and dropped him off at a Kansas City fire station. He then proceeded to the Kansas City Police Department's East Patrol Station, placed a gun outside the building, and went inside to confess to shooting his girlfriend. Initially, Sanders claimed he was scared and didn't know who was behind the bathroom door. However, his story had inconsistencies, and he later admitted to kicking down the locked bathroom door before shooting Alonzo.
Deon D. Sanders was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action. In a subsequent court appearance, he pleaded guilty to the charges. In August 2022, a Jackson County judge sentenced Sanders to 30 years in prison for the murder of Camry Alonzo.
