Derwin Alexander Simmons, 45, was fatally shot multiple times inside a Hardee’s restaurant in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, on the morning of August 1, 2018, at about 10:39 a.m. The shooting followed a confrontation that began with a domestic dispute involving Simmons and his partner, who was the ex-wife of Anthony Levar Sinks. Sinks sent a series of angry text messages before the encounter and met Simmons at the restaurant, where an argument ensued.

Police found no weapon on or near Simmons. Investigators say Sinks had practiced shooting the day before and returned to his car to retrieve a gun after seeing Simmons. Sinks was identified, taken into custody, and charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. At trial, Sinks claimed he acted in self-defense, saying he believed Simmons was reaching for a weapon; prosecutors presented the texts and other evidence as proof of premeditation. A jury convicted Sinks of first-degree murder and armed criminal action in April 2021, and that conviction was affirmed on appeal in 2022.