Kenneth Peace, a 31-year-old man from Sacramento, was killed on June 6, 2026, in a shooting inside Prestige Liquor and Wine on Howe Avenue in the Arden-Arcade area of Sacramento County. The shooting was reported around 11:20 a.m. Deputies with the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the business and found Peace suffering from an apparent gunshot wound to the chest.
They began life-saving measures until fire personnel arrived, but Peace was pronounced dead at the scene.
The sudden violence left his family and community reeling. Relatives described Peace as a devoted father of two daughters and someone who was deeply present for the people around him. At a vigil held the next evening along the West Sacramento waterfront, loved ones gathered with candles, balloons, prayers, and messages written in chalk. Family members remembered him as dependable, family-oriented, and known by the nickname “King Tut.” They spoke about the pain of two young girls losing their father and pleaded for anyone with information to come forward.
Investigators said the shooter fled before deputies arrived. Homicide detectives began reviewing surveillance footage and speaking with witnesses as they worked to identify who was responsible. In the early stages of the investigation, officials had not announced a suspect or motive, and family members publicly called for justice while asking the community to help bring answers.
Authorities later identified 28-year-old Xander Burnside as the suspected shooter. Detectives obtained an arrest warrant charging him with murder, and members of the Sacramento Sheriff’s Major Crimes Bureau tracked him to Pinole in Contra Costa County. Burnside was taken into custody without incident shortly after noon on June 9, 2026, and transported to the Sacramento County Main Jail.
Burnside was booked on a murder charge and held without bail. Investigators said surveillance footage and witness statements helped lead them to Burnside as the suspect. Reports also indicated that both Peace and Burnside had been customers at the liquor store before, though officials had not released a clear motive for the shooting. The case remained under investigation as authorities continued piecing together what led to the fatal confrontation inside the Howe Avenue business.
