Columbia, MO — A jury in Boone County spent approximately six hours deliberating before beginning a major double murder trial involving a Columbia man accused of killing his infant son’s mother and her own mother. The courtroom was prepped for a continuation of the prosecution’s case Wednesday morning, following a day of intense opening remarks.
Cadilac Derrick, 37, stands charged with two counts of first-degree murder among other felonies. The charges stem from the fatal shootings of 22-year-old Lea’johna Sanders and 53-year-old Laura Myers, which prosecutors allege Derrick committed last November. The case has drawn significant attention due to the brutal nature of the crimes and the potential motives rooted in domestic strife.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, the Boone County Courthouse heard the alarming 911 audio in which Sanders reported Derrick’s threatening behavior. The jury listened to the call, punctuated by the sound of gunfire, adding a chilling reality to the accusations leveled against Derrick. According to court testimonies, Derrick had previously threatened Sanders’ life and even assaulted her in the months leading up to the killings.
Risa Perkins, an assistant prosecutor in Boone County, argued that Derrick posed a continued threat to Sanders, citing past incidents where he allegedly strangled her and even assaulted her three months before her death. The defense, however, painted a starkly different picture of the night in question.
Joseph Whitener, Derrick’s attorney, contended that the deaths were a tragic outcome of self-defense. He described a volatile scene where both victims were allegedly intoxicated and one wielded a hammer. Whitener claimed that Myers escalated the situation by aggressively banging on Derrick’s door, ultimately leading to the fatal encounter.
Amid these grave assertions, Boone County Circuit Judge Brouck Jacobs indicated that the trial is expected to extend into Friday, suggesting a thorough examination of the events and their preceding context.
Reflecting a broader concern, Columbia’s city manager, De’Carlon Seewood, and local police have highlighted a worrying trend in which a significant majority of the city’s homicides last year were connected to domestic violence. This case, unfortunately, underscores a disturbing pattern affecting communities well beyond Columbia.
The trial aims not only to ascertain Derrick’s culpability but also to address underlying issues of domestic violence, potentially influencing future prevention and response strategies within the community. As more witnesses are slated to testify, the town of Columbia watches closely, anticipating answers to this tragic story shaking their community.