On a tragic afternoon in Des Moines, Iowa, the life of 23-year-old Randi Gilmore came to a violent end. It was April 5, 2010, when police responded to a 911 call at her home at 2308 E. Eighth St. Inside, they found Randi in the basement, deceased from a gunshot wound. The incident, which marked the first homicide in Des Moines that year, unfolded during what authorities described as a domestic dispute.
The young mother of three children, all under the age of six, was at home with them
when the shooting occurred. Her husband, 25-year-old Donte Marcell Gilmore, was found in the front yard of their rental home and was taken into custody by the arriving officers. He was subsequently charged with first-degree murder in the death of his wife. Neighbors described the family as quiet and not very social, with one recalling that Randi would offer a simple hello, while Donte rarely spoke to them. The family had been living in the house for just under two years.
The investigation into Randi's death revealed a history of domestic issues. Although Donte Gilmore did not have a prior criminal record, records showed that Randi herself had been charged with domestic abuse in 2005 in Woodbury County. Following the shooting, the couple's three young children were placed in the care of relatives. Donte Gilmore was ultimately held responsible for his wife's murder.
