The tragic events of February 18, 2014, in Jackson, Mississippi, centered around a custody exchange that escalated into violence, claiming the life of 22-year-old Black male Kanishka Lacey. The incident occurred at an Exxon gas station located at the intersection of Woodrow Wilson Avenue and Bailey Avenue. Lacey had arranged to meet his former girlfriend at this location to exchange custody of their two-year-old child.
The mother of the child arrived at the gas station in a vehicle driven by her current boyfriend, Lincoln Dille.
According to court proceedings and witness accounts, tensions were already high between the two men due to prior conflicts. Lacey reportedly drove his vehicle into the gas station parking lot and positioned it in front of the car carrying Dille and the child’s mother, effectively blocking their path. Witnesses described a confrontation where Lacey exited his vehicle and exchanged words with Dille. During this encounter, Dille, who was in the passenger seat of the other vehicle, produced a firearm and discharged it.
A Jackson Police Department officer named Lampley happened to be on patrol in the immediate vicinity and pulled up to the intersection just as the shots were fired. The officer observed Dille firing into Lacey's vehicle. Officer Lampley immediately entered the parking lot, ordered Dille to drop the weapon, and took him into custody at the scene without further incident. Lacey was found suffering from gunshot wounds and succumbed to his injuries.
Lincoln Dille, also identified in records as Lincoln Dille II, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. The defense argued that Dille acted in self-defense, citing previous threats Lacey had allegedly made against Dille and his girlfriend in the weeks leading up to the shooting. Dille claimed he had obtained a peace bond and purchased the gun specifically for protection after an earlier altercation where Lacey reportedly threatened them.
The legal process for Dille was prolonged. His first trial in 2018 ended in a mistrial after the jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict. However, the state retried the case the following year. In April 2019, a second jury found Lincoln Dille guilty of first-degree murder for the death of Kanishka Lacey. Following the conviction, the court sentenced Dille to life imprisonment. The conviction and sentence were subsequently affirmed by the Mississippi Court of Appeals in August 2021.
