On the cold evening of January 13, 2015, a 65-year-old White male named Saeed Sharwani was working his shift as a clerk at a Citgo gas station in Waukesha, Wisconsin. His life was cut tragically short that night in what began as a robbery. Just before 10:45 p.m., two men wearing masks entered the gas station located at Whiterock Avenue and Moreland Boulevard.
One of these men, later identified as 19-year-old Kenneth Thomas, was armed with a gun.
The two men, Thomas and his 28-year-old accomplice Darrin Malone, had been driven to the location by 23-year-old Jerica Cotton, who waited in a getaway car down the street. Inside the station, the situation quickly escalated. According to Thomas's later statement to police, Sharwani began to "freak out," and so did he. As Thomas attempted to climb over the counter, he claimed that Sharwani came around and grabbed him. It was at this moment that Thomas's gun went off, firing a single, fatal shot into Saeed Sharwani's chest. The men then fled with an undisclosed amount of money, leaving Sharwani mortally wounded. He died a short time later.
The investigation moved swiftly. Less than 12 hours after the shooting, police in West Allis arrested Kenneth Thomas in connection with another robbery investigation. He was already a suspect in a string of at least six robberies across four jurisdictions. The getaway driver, Jerica Cotton, was also apprehended quickly. The second man inside the station, Darrin Malone, remained at large for over a month before he was finally captured on February 23rd.
All three individuals were brought to justice for their roles in the senseless death of Saeed Sharwani. Kenneth Thomas, the shooter, expressed remorse during his trial, claiming he did not intend to kill the clerk. He was ultimately sentenced to 45 years in prison for the killing. Darrin Malone was convicted of felony murder for his part in the robbery and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Jerica Cotton pleaded guilty to armed robbery for her role as the getaway driver and also received a prison sentence.
