In the quiet hours of a Monday morning in Washington, D.C., on December 5, 2022, the life of 37-year-old Dana Bailey, a Black male and retired Air Force veteran, was brought to a sudden and violent end. He was in his apartment in the 3200 block of E Street, Southeast, with his wife, Lakeyvette Sears, when he was fatally shot in the chest. In his final moments, as he lay dying, Bailey was able to provide a crucial clue to the police officer who attended to him, identifying his assailant by the
nickname 'Papi.' This dying declaration would become a pivotal piece of evidence in the ensuing investigation.
The investigation into Bailey's death soon uncovered a story of betrayal and a hidden affair. 'Papi' was identified as Keyon Slaughter, a 26-year-old man who was having an affair with Bailey's wife. On the day of the murder, Bailey and Sears were scheduled to go to court to begin the process of Bailey adopting Sears's three youngest sons. However, investigators allege that Slaughter was waiting in their bedroom when they returned to the apartment. Surveillance footage showed Slaughter's vehicle following the bus that Bailey and Sears were on that morning. Further evidence included cellphone data placing Slaughter near the scene of the crime and social media photos of him in clothing that matched the description provided by Sears of the man she saw fleeing the apartment.
More than six months after the shooting, on July 12, 2023, authorities arrested Keyon Slaughter and charged him with first-degree murder while armed. Bailey's wife, Lakeyvette Sears, was also arrested and charged with obstruction of justice for allegedly deleting phone records before allowing investigators to examine her phone. At the time of their arrest, Slaughter and Sears were living together. The case moved through the legal system, and in April 2024, Slaughter was indicted on charges including first-degree premeditated murder.
In a turn of events that brought anguish to Dana Bailey's family, Keyon Slaughter, then 28, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed in June 2025. This plea agreement came with a proposed sentence of 16 years in prison. Bailey's family expressed their profound grief and opposition to the plea deal in court, believing that the evidence of premeditation warranted a first-degree murder conviction. His mother and sister described the immense loss of a 'stand up guy' and the trauma his six children endured. They vowed to be present at Slaughter's sentencing to advocate for a just punishment for the man who took Bailey's life in his own home.
