Kentucky Man Sentenced to 35 Years for Killing Father and 3-Year-Old Daughter

Kevon Lawless pleaded guilty to the murders of Brandon Waddles and his young daughter, Trinity Randolph, who was playing in a “Frozen”-themed dollhouse when she was shot.

A Kentucky man has been sentenced to 35 years in prison after admitting to the fatal shootings of a young father and his 3-year-old daughter in Louisville in August 2020.

Kevon Lawless, 29, received the sentence on October 22, 2026, after pleading guilty to the murders of 21-year-old Brandon Waddles and his daughter, Trinity Randolph, according to Law&Crime and local media reports.

Girlfriend Allegedly Used to Lure the Father Outside
Prosecutors said the shooting followed an ongoing dispute between Lawless and Waddles. According to the prosecution’s account, Lawless enlisted his girlfriend to contact Waddles and pretend she was interested in a romantic relationship.

On August 14, 2020, the woman reportedly arranged to meet Waddles at his home on Kahlert Avenue. As she called for him to come outside, Lawless allegedly got out of a car driven by Evan Ross and opened fire.

Waddles was struck six times and died from his injuries. His daughter, Trinity, was inside playing in a dollhouse modeled after the Disney film Frozen when she was shot in the back of the neck. Despite officers’ efforts to save her, she also died.

Original Conviction Overturned
Lawless was initially convicted of two counts of murder in 2022 and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

However, the Kentucky Supreme Court overturned the convictions in 2024, ruling that a mistrial should have been granted after Ross was arrested for perjury during the trial and news of the arrest reached jurors.

Ross had testified that he did not hear gunshots during the incident, a statement that a judge reportedly described as a “ridiculous lie.” Ross had previously agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in exchange for a plea deal.

After the original convictions were overturned, Lawless pleaded guilty to the murders and received a 35-year prison sentence.

Prosecutor Says Guilty Plea Brings Accountability
Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney Gerina Whethers said Lawless had now fully acknowledged responsibility for the deaths.

The case has spanned six years, leaving the victims’ family to endure lengthy legal proceedings following the killings.

Lawless’s guilty plea and sentence mark a new outcome in the case after the earlier convictions were overturned.

Source: Law&Crime — Man who used girlfriend as fake date to blast dad and his 3-year-old daughter playing in “Frozen” dollhouse heading to prison