Lumumba Sayers Sr., who once presented himself as an anti-gun advocate and mentor to young people in Colorado, was sentenced Friday to 51 years in prison for murdering a man at a 5-year-old's birthday party last August in what authorities described as an act of revenge for his own son's death.
The victim, Malcolm Watson, 28, was shot and killed on Aug. 10, 2024, as he departed the pool party celebrating his young son's birthday at Pioneer Park in Commerce City, a northeastern suburb of Denver. Witnesses told investigators that Sayers approached Watson from behind, pulled out a firearm, and fired "in the head at close range," according to an arrest affidavit.
Background
The violence traces back nearly 11 months before that August afternoon. Lumumba Sayers Jr., 23, was fatally shot on Aug. 19, 2023, in Denver's Five Points neighborhood alongside a friend. Two additional victims were wounded in what authorities described as a massacre. The younger Sayers, known in MMA circles as "Heavy Hands," had worked alongside his father in community outreach efforts aimed at curbing youth violence.
Prosecutors alleged that Watson was targeted because he was connected to someone law enforcement once considered a suspect in the Five Points shooting. Investigators said witnesses reported hearing someone shout "I got you" immediately after the gunfire, and that revenge was explicitly mentioned by those in attendance.
"How is it a revenge killing if my brother isn't the one who had anything to do with it?" Watson's sister told KUSA-TV, defending her brother's innocence in Sayers Jr.'s death.
The Investigation
Adams County Sheriff's Office investigators recovered four spent shell casings near Watson's body. He suffered three gunshot wounds, according to CBS News. After the shooting, witnesses observed Sayers return to his vehicle and retrieve a second firearm before attempting to fire again—but the weapon jammed. Video surveillance captured the defendant placing that second gun underneath Watson's body, authorities said.
Sayers was originally arrested and charged with first-degree murder and felony menacing. In April, an Adams County jury convicted him of second-degree murder, tampering with physical evidence, and attempted tampering in connection with Watson's death.
During trial, Sayers took the stand in his own defense and claimed an unidentified individual shot Watson before fleeing the scene. He further testified he had only approached the victim to retrieve a $15,000 gold necklace that allegedly ended up near Watson's body. Prosecutors argued no evidence supported either claim.
"Mr. Sayers' actions directly undermined the work he claimed to dedicate his life to," District Attorney Brian Mason said in a statement. "A man who presented himself as a mentor to young people and an advocate for nonviolence chose to commit the very act he said he stood against."
Key Takeaways
- Sayers was sentenced by Adams County District Court Judge Jeffrey Ruff to 51 years total: 48 years for second-degree murder and 1½ years each on the two tampering convictions.
- Watson, father of the birthday boy, was killed in front of guests at approximately 5 p.m. as he left the celebration at Pioneer Park in Commerce City.
- Sayers' son Lumumba Jr., a mixed martial arts fighter known as "Heavy Hands," was shot and killed nearly a year earlier on Aug. 19, 2023, in Denver's Five Points neighborhood.
- Prosecutors argued Watson had ties to someone once investigated for the younger Sayers' death, though Watson's family maintained he bore no responsibility.
- The jury deliberated after a two-week trial before rendering its verdict.
What's Next
Sayers will serve his sentence in Colorado state prison. The case drew significant attention given the stark irony of an anti-violence advocate committing murder, with prosecutors emphasizing that justice belongs in courtrooms rather than acts of personal retribution at family celebrations. No appeal timeline has been publicly disclosed.
"Mr. Sayers murdered the father of a young boy at that boy's fifth birthday party—an unconscionable and brutal act of violence," District Attorney Mason continued. "This is particularly heartbreaking because Mr. Sayers had devoted part of his career to advancing the message of anti-violence. Justice is carried out in courtrooms, not in parking lots in front of children by someone seeking revenge."