Jury convicts Columbia man of manslaughter in drug overdose death

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Boone County jury convicted a Columbia man Thursday of manslaughter and drug charges in a September 2020 overdose death.

Kennis Shepperd-Dickson was convicted of second-degree involuntary manslaughter, delivery of heroin and fentanyl, second-degree drug trafficking and methamphetamine possession. He will be sentenced as a prior and persistent offender under state law, enhancing the severity of the counts against him.

Police found the victim, 29, dead of cardiac arrest on Sept. 4, 2020. Investigators tracked down Shepperd-Dickson using information found on the victim's phone, according to court documents. Police say he confessed to dealing the drugs that killed the victim.

Shepperd-Dickson will be sentenced Dec. 22.

Boone County Assistant Prosecutor Risa Perkins said she would have liked a more serious felony conviction but that the manslaughter charge will hold Shepperd-Dickson accountable.