In the summer of 2019, the life of a 42-year-old Black female named Lachell Day was tragically cut short in a violent episode that also claimed the life of a beloved community member in Kansas City, Kansas. On the afternoon of July 10, Day was at Edwards Original Corner Market & Deli, a local establishment just feet from her home. She had arrived at the deli with her on-and-off boyfriend, Jermelle Andre-Lamont Byers, after the two had a heated argument in their vehicle parked outside.
The dispute, reportedly over allegations of infidelity, tragically escalated inside the neighborhood market.
After Day went into the deli, Byers followed her inside, armed with a handgun. He opened fire, shooting Day. The owner of the market, 62-year-old Dennis Edwards, attempted to intervene and chase Byers out of his store. In his heroic effort to protect Day and his establishment, Edwards was also attacked and killed by Byers. The events quickly drew a massive police response, but when officers arrived, Byers pointed his weapon at them, initiating a tense standoff that would last for two hours. During this time, both victims remained inside the small building without medical attention.
The standoff concluded when police were able to injure and subsequently arrest Jermelle Byers. Upon entering the market, they found Dennis Edwards deceased and Lachell Day with critical, life-threatening injuries. She was rushed to a nearby hospital, but tragically, she succumbed to her wounds. There was some initial confusion from law enforcement, who at first reported that both victims had died at the scene, only to later correct the information to state that Day was alive but in very critical condition. Her family ultimately had to make the decision to remove her from life support.
In the aftermath, Jermelle Andre-Lamont Byers was charged with the murders. In August 2021, to avoid a trial, Byers pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree felony murder for the killings of Lachell Day and Dennis Edwards. In May of 2025, he was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences for his crimes. He is currently incarcerated at the El Dorado Correctional Facility in Kansas. The case left two families devastated and a community mourning the loss of two of its members due to a senseless act of domestic violence.
