On the cold morning of New Year's Eve in 2014, a senseless act of violence cut short the life of Steven L. Sawyer, a 49-year-old Black/African American man, in Overland Park, Kansas. Shortly after 6 a.m., Sawyer had gone outside his home in the 9200 block of West 83rd Terrace to warm up his car. Witnesses in the quiet neighborhood reported hearing shouting followed by the sound of four to six gunshots. When police arrived, they found Sawyer deceased in the street, his car still running.
It was a tragic and abrupt end to a life, believed by police to have stemmed from Sawyer interrupting a car theft.
The investigation into the homicide moved forward with detectives piecing together evidence, which included tips from the public and scientific analysis. Their work led them to a suspect, 19-year-old DeMario D. Thompson. In February 2015, with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Kansas Fugitive Task Force, Thompson was apprehended in south Kansas City. He was subsequently charged with first-degree murder and auto burglary. At the time of his arrest for the murder of Steven Sawyer, Thompson had an extensive juvenile record dating back to 2009, with charges that included theft, burglary, and criminal possession of a firearm.
Ultimately, DeMario Thompson did not face a jury for his actions on that December morning. In January 2017, he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of second-degree murder, as well as auto burglary and being a felon in possession of a firearm. As a result of a plea agreement, it was recommended that he serve a prison sentence of 25 years and one month. For the family of Steven Sawyer, the arrest and conviction of his killer brought a sense of relief, knowing that the person responsible was no longer a threat to the community.
