On a summer morning in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, the life of 45-year-old Derwin Alexander Simmons, a Black male, was cut short in a violent encounter. The tragic events unfolded around 10:39 a.m. on August 1, 2018, inside a local Hardee's restaurant. Simmons was fatally shot multiple times during a confrontation that stemmed from a domestic dispute.
The conflict involved Anthony Levar Sinks, then 41, and his ex-wife, who was in a relationship with Simmons.
The couple, along with Sinks' son, were planning to move to Ohio, a decision that had angered Sinks. This anger was expressed through a series of text messages to his ex-wife prior to the fatal shooting. On that Wednesday morning, Sinks encountered Simmons at the Hardee's, leading to a heated argument.
Following the shooting, Sinks was quickly identified as the suspect and taken into custody. He was subsequently charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. During the investigation and subsequent trial, Sinks claimed he acted in self-defense, stating that he believed Simmons was reaching for a weapon during their altercation. However, police found no weapon on or near Simmons' body.
Prosecutors argued that the act was premeditated, presenting evidence that included threatening text messages sent by Sinks. They also revealed that Sinks had practiced shooting a gun the day before the incident and had returned to his car to retrieve his weapon upon seeing Simmons at the restaurant. In April 2021, a jury found Anthony Levar Sinks guilty of first-degree murder and armed criminal action. His conviction was later affirmed on appeal in 2022.
