Family members, friends and a clergy member are praising a Boone County circuit judge’s decision to sentence a Columbia barber to the maximum of 62 years in prison for killing his girlfriend and her grandmother two years ago.
They were killed in November 2022 on Boyd lane, which is north of Interstate 70 and about a mile east of Bandana’s.
939 the Eagle News was at the Boone County Courthouse for Tuesday’s emotional sentencing for 37-year-old Cadilac Derrick, who was convicted of five felonies: first degree involuntary manslaughter, voluntary manslaughter, domestic assault and two counts of armed criminal action. Derrick was originally charged with two counts of first degree murder for the deaths. Derrick and his attorney, Joseph Whitener, argued argued self-defense.
But Boone County assistant prosecutor Risa Perkins told Judge Brouck Jacobs on Tuesday that Derrick has shown no remorse for the shooting deaths of 22-year-old Lea’johna Sanders and 53-year-old Laura Myers. Prosecutor Perkins requested the maximum sentence of 62 years on Tuesday.
Myers’ sister, Patty Murphy, was one of several family members who testified at the emotional sentencing hearing. She describes Cadilac Derrick as a “cold, heartless person” and that Sanders wanted to be a nurse. Cadilac Derrick testified on Tuesday and turned and looked directly at the large audience. Derrick testifies that he’s sorry for his mistakes and that he loved Sanders and Myers. He says while he doesn’t feel he’s completely responsible for what happened, he hopes their family members can forgive him one day. Defense attorney Whitener requested a lesser sentence, pleading with Judge Jacobs for mercy. Whitener tells Judge Jacobs that Cadilac Derrick is remorseful and that he has no significant criminal history.
The audience applauded loudly when Judge Jacobs sentenced Derrick to 62 years, and when court ended and Derrick was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs, an African-American preacher who has warned about black-on-black crime in Columbia led family members in a quiet prayer. Rev. James Gray told the victims’ family that he is sick of black men, or any men, thinking they can kill someone. Rev. Gray is frustrated with Columbia’s violence, and several family members and church congregation members said “Amen” several times as he spoke.
939 the Eagle News was at the Boone County Courthouse for all three days of the September trial, and prosecutors played a recording of Lea’johna Sanders calling 911 before she was shot and killed. You could hear gunshots and yelling on the recording. Cadilac Derrick took the witness stand during the trial and testified that it was self defense.
