On a tragic Sunday afternoon, March 10, 2024, in Perkinston, Mississippi, 44-year-old Kimberly Dawn Kennedy’s life was cut short in a brutal act of violence that unfolded in the parking lot of a Dollar General store. A mother of four, Kennedy had arranged to meet Perry Lloyd Stephens Jr., the 52-year-old father of her two younger sons, for a child exchange. This meeting, however, would be their last.
Concerned about Stephens's state of mind, Kennedy had expressed her fears to a customer shortly after her arrival around 4:00 p.m., prompting a call to the Stone County Sheriff's deputies.
Before help could fully intervene, Stephens unleashed a barrage of over 30 rounds, fatally shooting Kennedy in front of their two young children, who were present at the scene. A responding Stone County sheriff's deputy was also injured in the gunfire, sustaining a graze wound to the face. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, a courageous customer whisked the two boys away to safety inside the store. Shortly after killing Kennedy, Stephens died from what authorities believe was a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The events of that day were the culmination of a history of domestic abuse. Kennedy had previously sought help from the Gulf Coast Center for Nonviolence and had obtained a protective order against Stephens in October 2023. However, the order was never served. The couple was also embroiled in a child custody case, and Stephens had reportedly threatened to kill Kennedy if he did not get custody of their children. Friends and family remember Stephens as a violent man and recalled previous instances of his physical abuse toward Kennedy.
Kimberly Kennedy, known affectionately as 'Kim,' was remembered as a devoted mother who always put her four children first. She was a manager at McDonald's and was described as a dependable and compassionate person with an immense heart. Her death left a profound void in the lives of her children, extended family, and friends. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation was tasked with investigating the shooting. Given that the incident was a murder-suicide, with the sole suspect deceased, the case did not proceed to an arrest or trial.
