In the early morning hours of November 1, 2021, the life of 33-year-old Ousmane Ndaw was tragically cut short in Louisville, Kentucky. A male, Ndaw was discovered shot to death in an alley in the Park Hill neighborhood, specifically in the 2200 block of Dumesnil Street. The Louisville Metro Police were called to the scene around 4:30 a.m. and pronounced him dead from a gunshot wound.
The investigation into Ndaw's death quickly became a homicide case handled by the Louisville Metro Police Department's Homicide Unit. Initially, police had no suspects. However, the investigation led them to focus on Ndaw's stolen vehicle. Two days after the fatal shooting, officers spotted the car at a gas station. When they attempted to pull the vehicle over, the driver sped away, leading to a police pursuit. The driver eventually abandoned the car and fled on foot but was apprehended by officers.
The suspect was identified as 26-year-old Kaelin Denza Akins, who was described as a 'known associate' of Ndaw. Upon his arrest, Akins was found with a backpack containing a 9mm handgun, heroin, and a scale. Ballistic testing confirmed that the handgun in Akins' possession was the weapon used to kill Ousmane Ndaw. In addition to murder, Akins faced charges of possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, fleeing and evading police, and trafficking in a controlled substance.
Nearly four years after the shooting, a jury convicted Kaelin Akins of the murder of Ousmane Ndaw. Following the conviction, the jury recommended a life sentence for Akins for the death of Ndaw, who was remembered by loved ones as a hardworking and selfless automotive entrepreneur.
