Dateline: Every suspect and witness in the Kim Dorsey murder investigation revealed 

Dateline is known for covering some of the most brutal true crime cases and alerting viewers about the dangers lurking in society. The news magazine series first aired in 1992, and although it initially focused on general interest news, Dateline quickly gained a reputation for emphasizing true crime stories and producing specials.

In the episode “In Cold Blood” on Dateline: The Smoking Gun, viewers explore the murder case of Kim Dorsey, who was violently killed in 2012 and found battered and naked in her bedroom by her husband after he returned from his 24-hour shift as a firefighter.

The case was unsettling because the crime scene was brutal. It also involved many twists and turns, with several suspects and a few witnesses emerging. Here are the details about the Kim Dorsey murder investigation.

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Dateline: Who was Kim Dorsey, and what happened to her?

Kim Dorsey used to train building inspectors in Florida and was married to Derrick Dorsey, who was a firefighter. Additionally, Kim struggled with depression and sleeplessness. As shown on Dateline, Kim was asleep on the morning of Saturday, October 27, 2012, when her husband, Derrick, left the house for a long work shift. However, when he returned on Sunday at 8 am, he found Kim on the bedroom floor.

Even though Derrick tried to give CPR, Kim had already died by then, and he therefore called 911. Kim had been brutally bludgeoned and stabbed to death, and even though Derrick initially believed that his wife committed sui*ide due to her depression, the horrific crime scene and the various clues made the police think that it was a murder scene.

There was a shattered pool cue, a knife, a gun, bullet holes, and blood spatter at the scene. TV remotes and Kim’s cell phone were also dumped in a sink. TK Waters, a sergeant in the homicide division at the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and Detective Larry Kuczkowski worked on the case. They shared details about the murder investigation with Dateline.

Then-Assistant State Attorney, London Kite, felt that this was a case of a break-in going bad, as there were no signs of forced entry and theft. Therefore, there was a connection between the person who committed the crime and Kim. Detectives believed that Kim died on Saturday, after Derrick left, and her autopsy showed that she had died from blunt force trauma to the head and a stab wound to the neck.

Further, she was most likely punched in the nose and was bound to the wrist and lashed to the dresser with zip ties. Evidence showed that she got a gun from her drawer and fired five times before being killed.

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Dateline: Who were the suspects and the witnesses in the Kim Dorsey case?

Investigators were initially suspicious of Derrick because he had covered his wife’s naked body and tampered with the evidence. Additionally, detectives found out that he had been seeing another woman, making him a suspect in his wife’s murder.

However, Derrick confirmed that he spent the entire day at work, and his phone records verified his location. Things changed when a witness reported seeing a small SUV at the Dorsey residence during the time of the murder.

Investigators discovered that Derrick’s friend, Lance Kirkpatrick, had worked on construction for him and was aware of the pool cue and the zip ties. He also lived at the house. Derrick, however, said that Lance was in Georgia.

Next, Derrick mentioned Joshua, who was 21 years old and had been given a job by Derrick. He also lived briefly with the Dorseys. However, Joshua's alibi eliminated him from the suspect list.

When Derrick returned to his house, he found a pornographic DVD in the player that wasn't his. He mentioned that JR was the entertainment system installer and had been at the house for repairs the day before the murder. As a result, the detectives focused on JR, especially since he also worked with zip ties. However, he was later crossed off the list.

Finally, detectives found out that Lance had been linked to a stolen car report on October 30, and therefore, he was not in Georgia as Derrick believed. Lance had taken a small SUV that a witness had also seen at the Dorsey house.

Detectives also focused on Brian Kiefer, who owned a construction company and had a criminal past. He was questioned about Lance. Kiefer told the police that Lance had said he had murdered someone and that he had entered his boss’s home, where he had been confronted by his wife, leading to violence.

Kiefer also told the police about the pool cue, the five gunshots, and the TV remotes in a sink, which no other person could have known.

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Dateline: Lance Kirkpatrick's admission and trial

Lance initially admitted he went to the Dorsey house but did not go inside. However, he told the police that he knew the key was under the dog statue at the front door, and detectives had seen the statue askew when they first entered. As a result, he became a prime suspect.

Finally, he was charged with burglary, sexual battery, and murder, but he pleaded not guilty and stood trial after nearly two years. During the proceedings, Kiefer testified that Lance entered the house, became violent with Kim when she tried to call for help, and shot at him.

At the trial, Lance admitted to killing Kim but claimed he did not want to kill her. He said he went to the house to retrieve a football jersey and had to defend himself from Kim, who, according to him, became violent. Additionally, Lance admitted that the pornographic DVD was his, and that he and Kim had become intimate; afterward, Kim’s mood changed, and she became violent.

According to Dateline, Lance insisted he didn’t rape or murder Kim, but jurors found him guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced him to life without parole.

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