Man convicted in 2020 shooting death of mother of 4 kids in Sacramento
SACRAMENTO — A man was convicted of first-degree murder in the 2020 shooting death of a mother of four in Sacramento, prosecutors said Thursday.
Mandiko Kwadzo, 31, faces 53 years to life in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 6, 2024.
The Sacramento County District Attorney's Office said police officers responded to a shooting at a home in West Sacramento on June 27, 2020. As officers were on the way, a witness saw Kwadzo and the victim, Carliena Clayton, arguing in the driveway.
Moments later, Clayton got into a car with her four young children, and Kwadzo got into the passenger seat as she drove away.
Later that night, a man was working on his boat at Cliff's Marina in Sacramento County when he heard gunshots followed by a car crashing into the Sacramento River.
That man and a friend responded to the area of the crash and saw Kwadzo standing outside of the water while Clayton and the children were still inside the vehicle.
The two pulled the four children from the car to safety. First responders arrived to find that Clayton was deceased. Clayton's oldest child told authorities that Kwadzo had shot his mother.
Kwadzo shot Clayton twice in the head, prosecutors said. The gun he used has never been found.
West Sacramento police also found evidence that shots were also fired in the home earlier in the day.