Inside the Mind of a Killer: Why Lance Eugene Kirkpatrick murdered Kim Dorsey
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA: Lance Eugene Kirkpatrick has been serving his life sentence after he attacked, raped, bludgeoned and killed Kim Dorsey in 2012. He was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced on May 15, 2015. Lance was also sentenced to serve three life sentences without the possibility of parole, one each for the rape and murder of Kim, and another for robbing her home.
Kim's husband Derrick Dorsey was left disappointed with the court's order as he was expecting the death penalty for Lance for his heinous crime. Lance reportedly used Kim's spare key, hidden outside, to sneak into their house and rob them to pay his drug debt. However, when he realized that Kim was at home, he attacked and tied her up as she tried to break free and shoot at him. Oxygen's upcoming series 'Dateline: The Smoking Gun' will explore Kim's murder, the chaotic crime scene, and how a single out-of-place item leads to exposing Lance's crime.
Who Is Lance Kirkpatrick?
Lance Eugene Kirkpatrick is in his early 40s and a former construction worker. He is an ex-military man but was kicked out when he failed a drug test. He has been a severe drug addict and lost everything to substance abuse. He was married and had a son but his wife ditched him because of his extensive drug abuse. Derrick and Kim Dorsey chimed in to help Lance during his hard time and gave him their spare bedroom to stay in for a few days.
Additionally, the Dorseys also provided Lance employment at their construction business and attended family dinners on Christmas and Thanksgiving. He had also worked at Derrick's parents' home. Lance betrayed his friend's trust and has been serving his life sentence in Florida prison for first-degree murder and rape since 2015.
Kim's husband Derrick Dorsey called Lance Kirkpatrick a 'sick twisted individual'
Kim's husband Derrick Dorsey was left devastated after his wife's murder and going through the court proceedings was tough for him. After Lance Eugene Kirkpatrick was convicted for his crime, Derrick shared his frustration in an interview and shared, "I just wanted to give a voice to Kim. I wanted to be there for her and I wanted to help them with the narrative."
He elaborated, "You can't express how horrific and how savage of a murder it was. You can only allow certain things on television." Derrick, who was the first person to find Kim's dead body, further shared, "He murdered her, zip-tied her, raped her and beat her with a pool cue and then stabbed in the neck with a knife. What type of person does that? That is not an oops I lost my cool. That is a sick twisted individual."
Lance Kirkpatrick manipulates investigation with his lies
Lance Eugene Kirkpatrick confessed to murdering Kim Dorsey but tried to manipulate the investigation. He admitted to killing Kim with a pool stick and a knife but claimed that it only happened after they got into a heated argument about him helping Derrick Dorsey meet other women. Lance claimed that Kim shot at him and he killed her to defend himself.
However, the autopsy report told a totally different story. The reports revealed that Kim was raped, brutally beaten, and then stabbed. Additionally, Lance's DNA was found inside Kim after an anonymous man tipped the police. Meanwhile, Derrick did acknowledge cheating on Kim with multiple women in the court and claimed that Lance helped set him up with some of those women.
Lance Kirkpatrick claims to have had an affair with Kim Dorsey
During the trial, Lance Kirkpatrick claimed in the court that he accidentally killed Kim Dorsey after their heated argument. He claimed that he had an affair with Kim, and had consensual sex before killing her. However, the prosecutors debunked Lance's claims of being lovers during the closing argument.
The assistant state attorney Patricia Dobson claimed in the court that Kim never would have found Lance appealing, physically or in any other way. Lance reportedly lied about having an affair with Kim and he was able to tell this "cockamamie" story because Kim wasn't here to defend herself.
Why did Lance Kirkpatrick get divorced?
Lance Kirkpatrick has been a drug addict which led to his downfall. He had been in a relationship with his wife and son but things started to change when his drug use became excessive. Lance's ex-wife Christy Kirkpatrick reflected on her divorce and claimed that she eventually left him due to his substance abuse.
Christy testified in court and claimed he was a good father and was never violent toward her. She further noted that Lance's substance abuse worsened while in the military and continued deteriorating after he was kicked out. She claimed, "I think we all tried to help him as a family as much as possible." Despite the split, Lance was actively involved in his son's life.
Uncover Kim Dorsey's tragic death in 'Dateline: The Smoking Gun' premiering on Thursday, October 3 at 8 pm on Oxygen