In the late hours of a Sunday evening in Louisville, Kentucky, the life of 30-year-old Michael Dippel was tragically cut short. On October 11, 2015, gunshots echoed in the Russell neighborhood at the intersection of 20th and Chestnut Streets. When police responded to a 911 call around 11:15 p.m., they discovered Dippel outside of an SUV, having sustained several gunshot wounds. The Jefferson County Coroner's Office later pronounced him dead at 11:25 p.m.
In the initial stages of the investigation, authorities were uncertain if Dippel had been driving the vehicle or had even been inside it prior to the shooting.
The investigation into the male victim's death soon pointed toward a suspect. Weeks after the incident, police arrested Jervon Latrell Hazelwood. The case against Hazelwood grew stronger when it was revealed that some of Dippel's property had been stolen, suggesting robbery as a motive. During interviews with detectives, Hazelwood allegedly admitted his involvement in the fatal shooting of Michael Dippel.
Further investigation revealed a more extensive and violent series of events. Hazelwood was also implicated in another murder and robbery that occurred on the very same day. He was subsequently charged with two counts of murder, two counts of robbery, and two counts of tampering with physical evidence for the crimes committed against both Michael Dippel and the other victim, Shakoor Gordon. Hazelwood pleaded not guilty to these charges, and his bond was set at one million dollars.
