A Kentucky man will spend 35 years in prison after admitting his role in the 2020 killings of a young father and his 3-year-old daughter. The case, which involved an alleged plan to lure the father outside his home, took several years to reach its latest resolution after an earlier murder conviction was overturned.
Kevon Lawless, 29, was sentenced Thursday after pleading guilty to the murders of Brandon Waddles, 21, and Waddles’ daughter, Trinity Randolph, according to local reporting.
The killings happened in Louisville on Aug. 14, 2020. Prosecutors said the attack grew out of a longstanding dispute between Lawless and Waddles. Investigators alleged that Lawless enlisted his girlfriend to contact Waddles under the pretense of romantic interest, using the interaction to create an opportunity for the shooting.
For the victims’ loved ones, the sentence brings a new development in a case that has stretched across multiple trials and years of legal proceedings.
An Alleged Plan to Lure the Father Outside
According to the prosecution’s account summarized in Kentucky court records, Lawless, Evan Ross and a woman developed a plan to kill Waddles following an existing conflict between the two men.
The woman allegedly contacted Waddles while pretending to be interested in beginning a relationship with him. On the day of the shooting, she was reportedly on her way to meet him while Ross drove Lawless toward Waddles’ home on Kahlert Avenue in Louisville.
When the woman asked Waddles to come outside, prosecutors said Lawless got out of Ross’ Chrysler 200 and opened fire.
Investigators said 11 shots were fired. Ross then drove Lawless away from the scene, according to the prosecution’s account.
Police responding to the home found Waddles seriously wounded in a hallway. He had sustained six gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead.
Inside the same home was Trinity, who was just 3 years old.
A Child Was Playing in Her Dollhouse
Trinity had been playing with a dollhouse inspired by the Disney movie Frozen when she was shot.
The little girl was struck in the back of the neck. Responding officers attempted to save her, but she was pronounced dead.
Her death made an already devastating crime even more tragic. Trinity was a young child at home with her father when the shooting occurred, and she had no connection to the dispute prosecutors said led to the attack.
The case drew attention to the devastating consequences that can follow when personal conflicts escalate into violence, particularly when other people are present and vulnerable.
An Earlier Conviction Was Overturned
Lawless was initially convicted of two counts of murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in 2022.
However, the Kentucky Supreme Court overturned those convictions in 2024 after reviewing problems surrounding the trial.
The court determined that a mistrial should have been granted after a judge ordered a witness arrested for perjury and information about the arrest reached jurors. The ruling addressed the fairness of the trial proceedings; it did not establish that the killings had not occurred.
The reversal meant the case had to move forward through the legal system again, extending the wait for a final resolution.
Lawless ultimately pleaded guilty to the murders, leading to the latest sentencing and avoiding another full trial on those charges.
Prosecutors Say the Case Has Reached a Resolution
Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney Gerina Whethers said the guilty plea marked an important step after years of proceedings.
She noted that a jury had previously found Lawless responsible for the deaths and that he had now admitted responsibility through his plea.
Whethers described the killings as senseless and said the resolution finally brought justice for Waddles and Trinity after six years.
Lawless’ 35-year prison sentence is the latest major development in the case. His earlier life-without-parole sentence was overturned as part of the appellate process, making the guilty plea and new sentence a significant turning point.
A Case That Leaves Lasting Questions
The deaths of Waddles and Trinity remain a stark example of how a dispute between adults can have consequences far beyond those directly involved.
Prosecutors said the alleged use of a fabricated romantic encounter was intended to bring Waddles outside and create an opportunity for the attack. The presence of his young daughter made the consequences even more devastating.
Although the legal process took years and included a conviction reversal, Lawless’ guilty plea brought the case to a new conclusion.
For the families affected, the sentence cannot undo the loss of a 21-year-old father or a 3-year-old child. It does, however, establish the punishment Lawless will face for the two killings and closes another chapter in a case that has remained unresolved for years.
