On June 11, 2022, Dantez T. Ford, a 21-year-old African American male from East St. Louis, IL, was found dead in Cahokia Heights, IL. The Cahokia Heights Police Department responded to a welfare check at a residence in the 4100 block of Brady Avenue around 11:22 a.m. Upon arrival, officers discovered Dantez T. Ford inside a vehicle parked in the driveway, and another victim, Sean A. Johnson, a 24-year-old African American male from Swansea, IL, inside the residence. Both men had suffered gunshot wounds and were pronounced dead at the scene.
The Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis was activated to investigate the double homicide. The investigation led to the arrest of Kevin B. Lipsey, a 32-year-old African American male, who was charged with two counts of first-degree murder. Lipsey's bond was set at $2,000,000. The case was brought before a St. Clair County jury, which found Lipsey guilty of both counts of first-degree murder. The trial concluded with Lipsey facing a mandatory life sentence due to the severity of the crime, which involved the deaths of two individuals in a single event.
The investigation revealed that both victims were shot, but the specific circumstances leading up to the shooting remain unclear. The Major Case Squad followed several leads, but additional details about the motive or events leading to the deaths were not disclosed. The case highlights the ongoing issue of gun violence in the region and the efforts of law enforcement to bring justice to the victims and their families.
