On July 14, 2017, a violent incident occurred in Kennett, Missouri, resulting in the death of 19-year-old Akeem D. Nelson. Officers from the Kennett Police Department responded to a residence located in the 400 block of Shady Lane, situated just off Harrison Street. Upon entering the home through an open front door, authorities discovered Nelson’s body on a couch. He was pronounced dead at the scene by Dunklin County Coroner James Powell. An autopsy conducted days later in Farmington, Missouri, confirmed the cause of death was a shooting.
Following the discovery, a multi-agency investigation was launched involving the Kennett Police Department, the Dunklin County Sheriff’s Department, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The inquiry quickly focused on a suspect identified as Andre Lamont Oliver, who was also 19 years old at the time of the incident. Oliver was taken into custody in connection with the homicide.
Initially, prosecutors charged Oliver with second-degree murder, armed criminal action, and the unlawful use of a weapon. However, as the legal proceedings advanced, the severity of the charges increased. On October 30, 2017, Dunklin County Prosecuting Attorney Jeff McCormick filed an amended affidavit upgrading the primary charge against Oliver to first-degree murder, a class A felony, reflecting the state's assessment of the gravity of the crime.
