Louisville man sentenced to decades in prison for murder in 2021

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – A Louisville man will spend 40 years in prison after being found guilty of murder.

Kenyatta James was convicted on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, on multiple charges, including murder and possessing a gun as a convicted felon. The verdict came after a jury in Louisville returned a guilty verdict in August 2024 for a fatal shooting that occurred three years earlier.

Previous coverage

• Murder suspect arrested in February

James was arrested on April 14, 2021, after court documents revealed he shot and killed 33-year-old Stepfon Monroe.

On Feb. 5, court documents said two women believed to be acquaintances of Monroe got into an argument outside his West Madison Street home. One of the women had called James to come to the house. James stopped outside Monroe’s house while Monroe stood on the porch and told everyone to leave.

Monroe was shot several times and died from his wounds.

Previous reporting from WAVE shows that Monroe and James had gotten into an argument that evening about James’ daughter.

“These senseless killings must stop, for the sake of our city,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ofs. “Too many lives are being lost to gun violence, and while this defendant will be held accountable for his actions, we as a community must do more to stop the shootings before they start.”

Below is the prison sentence imposed by the judge:

• Count 1 Murder: 30 years
• Count 2 Possession of a handgun by a convicted felon: 10 years

The jury also found James guilty of being a persistent misdemeanor offender. He is not eligible for probation or shock probation and must serve at least 20 years of his sentence.

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