Kourtney Krista Dawson, a 25-year-old woman from Durham, North Carolina, was tragically killed on February 26, 2014. The incident occurred on Holloway Street near North Guthrie Avenue, where officers responded to a "shots fired" call and found Dawson wounded on the sidewalk. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The investigation revealed that Dawson was struck by a stray bullet fired during a robbery gone wrong.
Dominique Xavier Lamberth, a 23-year-old man from Creedmoor, was arrested
and charged with multiple offenses, including murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon, two counts of discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. Lamberth had robbed a man of $20 at gunpoint and fired shots at the man's vehicle as he drove away. One of the shots struck Dawson as she was walking on Holloway Street.
In 2018, Dominique Lamberth pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact of first-degree murder in Dawson's death. He was sentenced to 93 to 124 months in prison. The charges against him were reduced as part of a plea deal, and he was given credit for the more than four years he had already served in jail. Lamberth's brother, Arsenio Jarmal Lamberth, was also involved in the robbery and shooting, but charges against him were still pending at the time.
The case highlights the tragic consequences of gun violence and the impact it has on innocent lives. Kourtney Krista Dawson's death serves as a reminder of the importance of addressing the root causes of such violence and ensuring that justice is served for the victims and their families.
