In the summer of 2020, a tragic event unfolded in Louisville, KY, that resulted in the death of 21-year-old Brandon Waddles. On the afternoon of August 14th, Waddles was fatally shot on Kahlert Avenue in the Jacobs neighborhood. Waddles was pronounced dead at the scene. In a heart-wrenching turn of events, his 3-year-old daughter, Trinity Randolph, who was with him at the time, was also shot.
She was rushed to a nearby hospital but succumbed to her injuries.
The investigation into the double homicide led Louisville Metro Police to two suspects. The first, 28-year-old Evan Ross, was arrested and charged with two counts of facilitation to commit murder. Investigators utilized surveillance footage from the area which captured a vehicle used in the commission of the crime. The vehicle was traced to Ross, who reportedly admitted his involvement when confronted by police.
A second and more central figure in the case, Kevon Lawless, was arrested and identified by police as the individual who pulled the trigger. Lawless, who was believed to have a prior acquaintance with Waddles, faced charges of murder, burglary, and possession of a handgun by a convicted felon. During his trial, a witness admitted to helping Lawless by luring Waddles to the location of the shooting.
In September 2022, a jury found Kevon Lawless guilty of the murders of Brandon Waddles and Trinity Randolph. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. However, in a significant legal development, the Kentucky Supreme Court later overturned Lawless's conviction. The court ruled that a mistrial should have been declared after a juror was exposed to news reports about a witness in the trial committing perjury. The case was then sent back to the Jefferson Circuit Court for the possibility of a new trial.
