A Colorado anti-violence activist who dedicated his life to steering youth away from guns was himself convicted of murder Monday in a killing prosecutors described as an act of revenge for his own son’s death.
Lumumba Sayers Sr., 47, a former professional MMA fighter and founder of the Aurora-based Heavy Hands Heavy Hearts Center, was found guilty of second-degree murder in the August 2024 shooting death of 28-year-old Malcolm Watson. The verdict was read in an Adams County courtroom after a nearly two-week trial.
Prosecutors argued that Sayers Sr. shot Watson multiple times at a child’s birthday pool party at Commerce City’s Pioneer Park to avenge the killing of his son, 23-year-old Lumumba Sayers Jr., who was gunned down in Denver’s Five Points neighborhood in 2023 . The shooting occurred in broad daylight as Watson’s 5-year-old son and other party attendees watched in horror .
“We the jury find the defendant Sayers guilty of count number one, murder in the second-degree,” the foreperson announced as the judge had previously asked everyone in the courtroom to remain calm.
From Peace Rally to Fatal Shooting
According to court testimony, Sayers Sr. had attended an anti-violence rally sponsored by a Denver nonprofit earlier on the day of the killing . From there, he drove to the birthday party at Pioneer Park. Surveillance video showed him park his SUV, walk toward Watson, and shoot him seconds later just outside the camera’s frame .
Multiple witnesses identified Sayers Sr. as the shooter. The prosecution alleged that Sayers Sr. believed Watson was connected to his son’s death, telling jurors that the activist had become “obsessed” with revenge and had spoken about needing to harm the entire “East Side” .
“I remember being here in the beginning and today before the judge read the verdict, he asked everyone in the courtroom to remain calm,” a court observer noted.
Defense Maintains Innocence
Throughout the trial, defense attorney Megan Downing argued that another man present at the party—identified only as “Rico”—was the actual shooter. She noted that the murder weapon, believed to be an untraceable 3D-printed or kit-built “ghost gun,” was never recovered .
Sayers Sr. took the stand in his own defense, admitting he illegally carried an unregistered handgun for protection but denying he fired the fatal shots. He testified that he dropped his own gun near Watson’s body because he didn’t want to be armed when police arrived .
“Mr. Sayers, like everyone, witnessed a horrific tragedy that is the opposite of everything he is,” Downing told jurors during opening statements .
However, prosecutors presented cellphone video showing Sayers Sr. kneeling over Watson’s body and appearing to manipulate the victim’s clothing. Deputy District Attorney Aaron Brunskill argued that Sayers Sr. was “calm and collected” after the shooting “because he knows what was going on. He knows it was him”.
A Family Tragedy Turned to Violence
The case represents a devastating turn for a family once dedicated to stopping street violence. Sayers Sr. founded Heavy Hands Heavy Hearts Center in Aurora in 2015, organizing movie nights, fitness classes, and youth mentorship programs. His son followed in his footsteps, creating the “Glovez Up, Gunz Down” movement aimed at steering young people away from guns .
But on Aug. 19, 2023, the younger Sayers was killed in a chaotic shootout in Denver’s Five Points that involved at least eight shooters and more than 70 rounds fired. Prosecutors initially charged Tyrell Braxton in connection with the shooting, but the murder case was eventually dismissed. Braxton was later convicted in federal court of being a felon in possession of ammunition and sentenced to nearly 16 years in prison .
Witnesses testified that Sayers Sr. became consumed by his son’s death in the months that followed. “They all got to die. They all got to die. The whole East Side,” one witness recalled him saying .
The irony was not lost on those in the courtroom: a man who built a career on preventing gun violence now stands convicted of committing it.
Sentencing Pending
The jury also found Sayers Sr. guilty of tampering with physical evidence and attempted tampering. He was acquitted of a menacing charge .
Under Colorado law, second-degree murder carries a presumptive sentence of 16 to 48 years in prison. The judge has discretion to determine the appropriate length based on the nature and specifics of the conviction.
Sayers Sr. is scheduled to be sentenced on July 24 . The judge ordered a pre-sentencing investigation to be completed before that date.
As the verdict was read, Sayers Sr. appeared emotionless, turning back to mouth words to his family. Court security remained heavy, with police in the parking lot maintaining order as both families were escorted out separately .
Two women who witnessed Watson’s killing—Sayers Sr.’s daughter and the mother of Watson’s children—had also survived the 2023 shootout that claimed Sayers Jr.’s life.
