In the late summer of 2020, concern grew for 51-year-old Kim Gooden when her daughter was unable to reach her. This led Prince George's County patrol officers to conduct a welfare check at her residence on Southern Avenue in Capitol Heights, Maryland, on August 14th. Inside her home, they made a grim discovery; Gooden was found on the floor, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds.
She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the death of the Black/African American woman quickly painted a picture of a domestic tragedy. Detectives determined that Gooden had been shot in the early morning hours of August 12th, two days before her body was found. A witness reported hearing loud 'pops' at approximately 2:20 a.m. and saw a man running from the apartment. Surveillance footage corroborated this account, showing the suspect fleeing the area in Gooden's car just moments later.
The focus of the investigation soon centered on Kenneth Duane Sedgwick, 50, who was in an ongoing relationship with Gooden. The evidence gathered led to his identification as the primary suspect. Sedgwick was apprehended in neighboring Washington, D.C. He was subsequently charged with first- and second-degree murder, as well as related assault charges. Authorities confirmed the homicide was domestic-related and began the process of extraditing Sedgwick to Prince George's County to face the charges.
