Lavetta Adrianna Doolin, known affectionately to her family as “Vetta Jean,” was a kindhearted, funny, and private young woman with a beautiful heart. Born on June 14, 2005, to Melzina “Kizzy” Love and Lavell Doolin in Kansas City, Missouri, Lavetta was the third of four children and brought a special light to her family. Her life, however, was marked by profound loss. At just five years old, she lost her oldest brother, Alfonza P. Blair.
Two years later, her mother passed away, and three years after that, her father died. On the day of her mother’s death, Lavetta, then six, asked to go home with her aunt and uncle, ReKeysha “Keysha” Belcher-Abdullah and Ibn Abdullah. They became her earthly parents, raising her as their seventh child within a village of family that loved and protected her. Lavetta, a 21-year-old Black woman, attended the Raytown School District and earned her high school diploma through Job Corps in Excelsior Springs. Her compassionate nature led her to a career as a caregiver with The Arc of the Ozarks, where she supported individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
In the early hours of Sunday, September 27, 2026, Lavetta’s life was tragically cut short. At approximately 1:30 a.m., Kansas City police officers responded to a medical call near 79th Street and Wornall Road in the Waldo neighborhood. They were directed to the parking lot of a Casey's gas station, where they found Lavetta suffering from gunshot wounds. Emergency medical services arrived at the same time and, along with the officers, attempted life-saving measures. Despite their efforts, Lavetta was pronounced dead at the scene. Her death was one of two unrelated homicides in Kansas City in the span of just two hours that morning.
The Kansas City Police Department immediately launched a homicide investigation. Detectives cordoned off a large crime scene and began searching for evidence, witnesses, and surveillance footage that might shed light on what happened. A key question for investigators was whether Lavetta was shot in the gas station parking lot or if she was wounded elsewhere and arrived there afterward. "We have a pretty big crime scene here that we have blocked off," KCPD Sgt. Phil DiMartino said. "We're still very early in this. We just don't have a lot of information on what happened or what led up to this. Our detectives are looking for any witnesses. Surveillance footage is going to be big on this." Police urged anyone who might have seen something, no matter how insignificant it seemed, to come forward.
The shooting left neighbors and local business owners shaken. The area around 79th and Wornall was described as a busy, growing neighborhood with significant car and foot traffic. One business owner across the street expressed his worry and fear, noting recent break-ins at his shop. Another resident who lived nearby described the neighborhood as typically quiet, where people often walked their dogs. She expressed her sadness, acknowledging that such violence seemed to be more prevalent across the wider Kansas City area.
Lavetta was preceded in death by her mother, father, brother, and grandparents. She was laid to rest at Forest Hill Calvary Cemetery following services on October 23, 2026. She is lovingly remembered by her earthly parents, ReKeysha and Ibn; her sisters, Unikque and Davetta; numerous siblings, including Lorenzo, Imani, Ke’Mya, La’Ron, Te’yah, India, De’Shon, Janae, Jericka, and Jah-vion; her grandmothers, Evelyn and Pamela; and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, and her godson, Jah-More. Her family wrote, “Our beautiful Vetta Jean has left this earthly garden, but the love she planted here will continue to bloom in each of us.”
As of late September 2026, the investigation into Lavetta Doolin’s murder is ongoing, and no suspects have been taken into custody. Police continue to seek information from the public. Anyone with information is asked to call the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477). A cash reward may be available for information leading to an arrest.
