In the spring of 2020, the life of Catherine "Kaydee" Bobbitt, a 33-year-old mother, was tragically cut short in Des Moines, Iowa. On the afternoon of April 3rd, while driving westbound on Kingman Boulevard, just a few blocks from the Drake University campus, she was struck by a gunshot. Her daughter, who was in the vehicle with her at the time, was not injured and immediately called for help. Emergency responders arrived at the scene near 33rd and Hickman to find Catherine unresponsive.
She was rushed to a local hospital, where she died from her injuries a couple of hours later.
Known to her friends and family as a dedicated single mother to her children, Catherine was a vibrant part of her community. She was remembered for her generosity and strong principles against any form of discrimination, values instilled from her upbringing in the Catholic Worker community. Her life was centered around her children and her dreams for their future. The day before her death, she had just purchased new bicycles for her kids, excited for a family bike ride they had planned for the following day. Her sudden death left her family, friends, and the wider Des Moines community heartbroken and searching for answers.
The investigation into her death continued for months. Police determined that the shooting was not a random act of violence, but a targeted attack. In the months following the incident, a material witness warrant was issued for a man named Antonio Markez Hodges, who authorities believed had fled Iowa after the shooting. The first significant break in the case came in February 2021, when U.S. Marshals located and arrested Hodges in northwest Des Moines. He was subsequently charged with first-degree murder and intimidation with a dangerous weapon.
Later, a second suspect was identified and taken into custody. Derrick Glenn Smith Jr. was arrested after being released from a hospital for treatment of injuries from an unrelated shooting. Investigators believe Smith was the individual who fired the shot that killed Catherine. He also faces charges of first-degree murder and intimidation with a dangerous weapon. The arrests brought a measure of progress for a community that had mourned the loss of a beloved mother and friend.
