Dateline: Why did the investigators initially suspect Kim Dorsey's husband, Derrick, in connection with her murder? Details revealed 

Dateline episode titled The Smoking Gun features another chilling case that happened in 2012, East Jacksonville, Florida. On October 28, Kimberly Dorsey was attacked inside her bedroom and brutally killed with multiple stab wounds, while bullet holes were found on the walls near her body. The scene was chaotic with blood splattered all around the room, furniture overturned, and multiple weapons used. According to reports, Kim was also sexually assaulted.

The first suspect that came to the investigator's mind was Derrick, her husband, as he was someone in proximity to Kim. Especially after Derrick confessed that he was also having an extramarital affair, the doubt seemed more concrete. However, Derrick turns out to be innocent. Read on to know why the officials even suspected Derrick and who the real killer is, as shown on Dateline.

Here is why the investigators initially suspect Kim Dorsey's husband, Derrick, per Dateline

As the investigation unfolded, the killer turned out to be Lance Kirkpatrick, a close family friend of the couple whom Derrick also once helped to get back on his feet. When the sexual assault report came forward, the investigators concluded this as the motive behind the murder, along with robbery, ruling out the involvement of Derrick and closing the case.

Why was Derrick even suspected by the investigators? It was mainly because they circled him based on their experience of similar cases. Most of the time, the killer ends up being the spouse, someone who is close and has access to the victim. Moreover, during the investigation, Derrick confirmed his extramarital affair, and the investigators could see their doubt taking shape. He might have killed Kim to restart a life with his new girl.

Derrick was a firefighter and arrived home from his shift only to find Kim's body in their bedroom. She was covered with a blanket, and the chaos in the room suggested some vicious struggle for survival. He called 911 immediately. The suspicion over Derrick was ruled out after the forensic result, which linked the case to Kirkpatrick via his DNA.

Derrick had an unclear timeline and alibi checks that further cemented the suspicion, as shown on Dateline

Derrick claimed that he had been working continuously on a 24-hour shift and was not home at the time of the attack. The investigators checked his phone and other devices to verify an alibi. The next clue for the officials was the unusual anomalies on the crime scene. The TV remote was lying in the sink, and a dog statue was removed, suggesting the involvement of the person who was first on the scene. This is how the investigators' first suspect became Kim's husband, Derrick.

Even after Lance's arrest, post-DNA evidence, Derrick's involvement was not completely ruled out because of his acquaintanceship with the person and the fact that he and Kim allowed Lance to live in their home. However, Derrick's alibi was largely supported by records and phone data that led to him walking out freely.

An incident of a missing SUV further cemented Lance as the final and only killer of Kim, as shown on Dateline. Lance had taken an SUV from a house party a day before the attack and was never seen afterwards. The investigators interrogated Brian Kiefer, who was present at the party. He then confessed that Lance told him that he had killed someone today.

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“He tells me that he murdered somebody,” Kiefer told the police.

Lance was later convicted of first-degree murder and sexual battery and sentenced to life in prison.

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