The shooting death of 23-year-old Jaque Dawkins occurred in Kansas City, Missouri, on November 15, 2015, following a night out that turned violent. Dawkins had been at a downtown club with an acquaintance, Kimani I. Sterling, before the two men traveled together in a vehicle toward the Brookside area. According to witness accounts provided to investigators, the situation escalated while they were driving, leading Sterling to turn and fire multiple gunshots at Dawkins while they were still
inside the car.
In the aftermath of the shooting, Dawkins’ body was dumped at the intersection of 57th and Oak Streets, where police officers discovered him early that Sunday morning around 2:30 a.m. Residents in the neighborhood had reported hearing the sound of gunfire and seeing a vehicle speed away from the scene. Authorities later located a burned vehicle nearby, which had been set on fire in an apparent attempt to destroy evidence connected to the crime.
Investigation into the homicide led to the arrest of Kimani Sterling, who was 25 years old at the time of his conviction. Prosecutors presented evidence that Sterling not only shot Dawkins but also directed another individual to burn the car used during the incident. This second individual, whose name was not prominently featured in the main trial reports, pleaded guilty to lesser charges related to the case.
In February 2017, a Jackson County jury found Sterling guilty of second-degree murder and armed criminal action. Following the conviction, the jury recommended a sentence of 34 years in prison for the crimes. The legal proceedings concluded with the judge formally sentencing Sterling, bringing a measure of closure to the case nearly a year and a half after Dawkins was found deceased on the street.
