Kansas City police detective convicted in fatal shooting to be sentenced in March
Kansas City police Det. Eric DeValkenaere, who was convicted in the 2019 shooting death of Cameron Lamb, is scheduled to be sentenced March 4, 2022, a Jackson County judge ordered on Thursday.
Friday will mark two years since DeValkenaere fatally shot Lamb as the 26-year-old backed his pickup truck into the garage of his home at 4154 College Ave.
Last month, DeValkenaere, 43, was found guilty of second-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in a bench trial.
He faces up to four years on the manslaughter conviction and at least three years for the armed criminal action charge, according to state statute. The judge will decide if those are to be served concurrently or consecutively.
DeValkenaere, who remains free on bond, has been suspended pending termination, a police spokesman told The Star on Thursday.
Defense attorney Molly Hastings said Thursday they plan to appeal the conviction.
The criminal conviction renewed calls for Police Chief Rick Smith to be removed or step down. Smith faced sharp criticism Tuesday after audio of him calling Lamb the “bad guy” at the scene of the shooting was released.
The shooting happened after officers investigating an unrelated vehicle crash reported a red pickup chasing a purple Ford Mustang. Officers in a police helicopter spotted the truck driven by Lamb and followed the vehicle to his residence on College Ave.
DeValkenaere said he fired a series of gunshots after Lamb pointed a gun at his partner, Det. Troy Schwalm. Police investigators found Lamb inside the pickup with his left arm and head hanging out of the driver’s side window. On the ground near his left hand was a handgun, police said at the time.
Prosecutors alleged the crime scene was staged and evidence was planted. They also said it took only nine seconds from the time DeValkenaere arrived at the front yard of the house to the moment he shot Lamb.
When Jackson County Judge J. Dale Youngs announced the verdict, he said that DeValkenaere and Schwalm did not have a search warrant or an arrest warrant, and did not have consent to be on the property. There were no circumstances where someone was harmed or in imminent danger that would have permitted the detectives to be in the backyard, Youngs said.
