Man sentenced in deadly shooting on South Nevada Avenue
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - On Monday, March 16, Vonrobert Kennedy was sentenced to 40 years in prison for murder in the second degree. This comes after a jury trial found Kennedy guilty of the shooting and killing of 45-year-old Darryl Edward Scurry Jr back in June of 2024.
Kennedy was arrested on October 10, 2024, for the murder of Scurry. The Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) said Kennedy was charged while he was being held in the El Paso County Criminal Justice Center on unrelated charges.
The deadly shooting happened on South Nevada Avenue on the morning of May 23, 2024, according to CSPD.
In court, the judge noted that according to witness testimonies, Scurry was in a vulnerable position. She said that he wasn't trying to hurt Kennedy, but still, she said Kennedy shot him three times.
Scurry's father and sister were at the hearing virtually. The judge shared that from what she's gathered, Scurry was well-loved in the community and that his loss was felt tremendously.
Darryl Scurry Jr., also known by many as Wasim, is being remembered for his generosity and his protective nature toward friends and family. A local woman who met Scurry in 2018 while living in the South Nevada area shared her memories of him and his impact on the community with KRDO13.
Kayleen Thompson, who formerly lived near South Nevada, described Scurry as a constant supportive presence. She said he frequently looked out for those around him, regardless of their background or circumstances. Scurry was a close friend of her husband's family. She said he would visit them where her Husband's mom was staying.
"He would always come over for dinner... acting goofy and just walking around," Thompson said.
She described him as a "big brother bodyguard type" who had a confident posture.
"That man didn't put up with anybody talking crap to females, children, his family. If he cared about you, he cared about you wholeheartedly," explained Thompson.
She added that her husband also shared a brotherly bond with him. Thompson continued to say Scurry often checked on friends during late-night hours. Thompson said she worked at a Maverick, formerly a Kum & Go, located near South Nevada and Las Vegas. She said Scurry would visit her during her shifts to ask about her and her family.
"He would literally give the shirt off of his back to anybody and everybody," the woman said. "He didn't care what it cost. Not even his life. And as long as the people around him were happy and smiling and healthy and fed and clothed, he was happy. He was the most inspiring person."
She described him as someone who loved everyone and used humor to connect with people. When she was pregnant, Thompson said Scurry was there for her through the whole process. Thompson said Scurry made sure she was warm, had food and a clean safe place to sleep. She says she has saved a stuffed animal bear to this day that Scurry gave to her son before he was born.
"He would joke around and goof off with you and then, like, he would talk crap, like he'd be mad at you, but he really wasn't," she said. "He was just trying to get a rise out of you just so he can goof off."
Thompson said she was grateful to share part of Scurry's story, stating that Wasim deserved more recognition than he received. She said he even helped them to feed others in the community.
In court, Kennedy apologized to Scurry's family. According to a pre-sentencing interview discussed in court, Kennedy was praying for the least time in prison.
KRDO13 was in the courtroom when the judge handed down the four decades behind bars sentence. Kennedy looked disheartened, and then he appeared angry. His defense made it clear in court that they plan to appeal the sentence.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: CSPD investigating shooting that left one dead on South Nevada Avenue
Aside from this case, Kennedy is facing multiple other drug, assault and violent crime charges. His trial for one of those cases is set for June of this year.
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