Columbia man sentenced to more than 60 years after death of two women

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia man found guilty of the death of two women in 2022 was sentenced to over 60 years in prison on Tuesday.

A Boone County judge sentenced Cadilac Derrick to 62 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections for five felonies.

Derrick was found guilty of killing two Columbia women – Lea'johna Sanders, 22, and Laura Myers, 53 – on Nov. 5, 2022, in the 1600 block of Boyd Lane.

Derrick was sentenced to 10 years for first-degree involuntary manslaughter, 15 years for voluntary manslaughter, seven years for second-degree domestic assault and 15years on two counts of armed criminal action. He was found not guilty of endangering the welfare of a child.

He was previously charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action, second-degree domestic assault and endangering the welfare of a child after a Dec.16, 2022, grand jury indictment.

The families of the two women who were killed gathered outside of the Boone County Courthouse before Tuesday's hearing to advocate for the maximum sentence.

Dozens of family members then filed into the courtroom where they asked a judge to consider their thoughts when deciding Derrick's fate.

Boone County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Risa Perkins requested judge Brouck Jacobs consider the maximum sentence laying out three points in her argument. Perkins referred to the threatening text messages Derrick sent to Sanders in the months before her death.

Perkins also spoke about the 911 call from the night of the shooting that was played during Derrick's trial in September, pointing out that Derrick could be heard saying "now what" after the shooting. She also said Derrick leaving after the shooting showed he was not remorseful.

Derrick addressed the family of the victims during his hearing on Tuesday, apologizing and stating he hopes they find peace. However, he said he did not feel completely at fault for what happened but asked for their forgiveness.

"I wish that I could turn back time and make it all go away," Derrick said.

However, Perkins told ABC 17 News after the hearing on Tuesday that she felt his actions after the shooting did not reflect that.

"He left a one year old at home in a crib area with two women who were frankly dead or dying and he drove as far as he could until his car ran out of gas," Perkins said. "I don't think that those are the actions of someone who really cares about a person that was the actions of someone who's trying to get away with murder."

Derrick's attorney Joseph Whitener pushed back and requested Jacobs consider a lesser sentence.

Whitener stated 62 years is excessive based on the charges he was convicted of, adding that the jury did not find him guilty of murder, and therefore his sentence should reflect that. He also stated Derrick had no significant criminal history and said the state's request of 62 years wouldn't allow Derrick to have a relationship with his son.

Whitener requested a new trial but the motion was denied. He told ABC 17 News via phone after the hearing that Derrick plans to appeal his sentence.

Several of Myers' and Sanders' family members read victim impact statements on Tuesday.

Most became emotional while speaking, stating they felt their loved ones were taken from them too soon. They asked Jacobs to sentence him to the maximum sentence to make sure he is held accountable for his actions, adding that they don't believe he is sorry for what happened.

Amber Myers, the daughter of Laura Myers told ABC 17 News after Tuesday's hearing that learning his sentence was "bittersweet" because no amount of time behind bars can bring her family back.

She said she hopes the case will help raise awareness to the dangers of domestic violence.

"When you know that you have someone going through something domestic, please step up because those victims, even sometimes in life and their living, they don't know how to speak for themselves," Myers said. "It's (Derrick's sentencing) not going to make this any less hurtful but it does give us some sense of peace that he will spend many, many, many years behind bars where he belongs."