On the morning of January 14, 2025, a violent altercation unfolded at a residence on the east side of Fort Wayne, Indiana, claiming the life of Kenneth Lemar Richards. At approximately 9:45 a.m., officers from the Fort Wayne Police Department were dispatched to a home near the 1400 block of East Lewis Street after receiving reports of a shooting. Upon arrival, first responders discovered Richards, a 53-year-old Black male, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Despite the immediate lifesaving efforts rendered by police and medics from the Three Rivers Ambulance Authority, his injuries proved too severe, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Allen County Coroner’s Office subsequently ruled the death a homicide, determining that Richards had died from gunshot wounds to his neck and torso. As investigators secured the scene, they encountered 24-year-old Kenneth King, who was present at the residence and was taken into custody. King had reportedly placed the initial 911 call himself, telling dispatchers that he had shot a man in self-defense. In his account to authorities, King claimed that a dispute had arisen between the two men, allegedly starting over an argument about the power in the house.
According to court documents, King told detectives that Richards had become angry and that his 'tone' felt threatening, prompting King to retrieve a firearm from an upstairs room. He alleged that when he returned to the garage area, Richards charged at him, leading King to fire his weapon. King stated that the physical confrontation continued, with Richards falling on top of him, which resulted in a second shot being fired. King further admitted to firing a third shot after he had separated himself from Richards and was no longer being physically held.
Detectives noted inconsistencies in King's version of events, particularly regarding the nature of the threat he described. Although King repeatedly asserted that he acted to protect himself, police found sufficient cause to arrest him in connection with the slaying. He was subsequently charged with one count of murder. While the exact nature of the relationship between the two men was not immediately clarified by officials, the incident was recorded as the third homicide in Allen County for the year 2025.
