Kamauri Kennedy Sentenced to Life Without Parole for 2021 Murder
MINOT, N.D. (KMOT) – Kamauri Kennedy, convicted in the 2021 murder of Dominique Kelley in Minot, has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Kennedy, 24, was found guilty by a jury in September. The case centered around the death of Kelley, whose remains were discovered in a burned vehicle along a gravel road in June 2021. Her death was ruled a homicide.
Following Kelley’s murder, Kennedy fled the state, but he was apprehended in Michigan. During his sentencing on Tuesday, Kennedy, who did not testify at trial, maintained his innocence, claiming he had never harmed a woman.
“I would never hurt a female,” Kennedy said, addressing the court. “Three years and nobody’s ever asked me anything and I didn’t do this.”
Judge Gary Lee, who oversaw the trial, called Kelley’s death “horrific.” He noted that the evidence presented during the trial showed Kelley was still alive when the vehicle her remains were found in was set on fire. Lee agreed with the state’s recommendation for a life sentence, describing Kennedy as a “career criminal” and likening the crime to a “gang-land type execution.”
Kennedy had previously indicated he planned to appeal the verdict. Restitution for the case will be determined at a later date.
Additionally, Kennedy faces charges for allegedly attacking another inmate at the Ward County Jail while awaiting trial in the Kelley murder case.