Proclaimed Anti-Violence Advocate Sentenced to 51 Years in Prison Following Second-Degree Murder Conviction in Commerce City Revenge Killing

Brighton, CO – Today, District Attorney Brian Mason announced the conviction and sentence for 47-year-old Lumumba Sayers related to the fatal shooting of 28-year-old Malcolm Watson in Commerce City on August 10, 2024. A jury returned its verdict on Monday, April 27, 2026, following a two‑week trial in Adams County District Court, and Sayers was sentenced on Friday, July 24, 2026.  

On the afternoon of August 10, 2024, shortly after attending a peace rally in Denver while wearing a shirt bearing the image of his late son, Sayers approached Malcolm Watson in the parking lot of Paradice Island Water Park in Commerce City and opened fire. Watson was struck multiple times, including once in the head. The murder occurred in front of numerous witnesses — including the victim’s young son, who was dressed in a Sonic the Hedgehog costume while celebrating his fifth birthday at the water park. 

Sayers, a former mixed martial arts fighter and self‑proclaimed anti‑violence advocate who founded the Heavy Hands, Heavy Hearts youth organization in Aurora, targeted Watson because he believed Watson was connected to his son’s 2023 shooting death in Denver’s Five Points neighborhood. 

“This outrageous public killing shocks the conscience and breaks the heart,” said District Attorney Brian Mason. “Mr. Sayers murdered the father of a young boy at that boy’s fifth birthday party, an unconscionable and brutal act of violence. This is particularly heartbreaking because Mr. Sayers had devoted part of his career to advancing the message of anti-violence. Justice is carried out in courtrooms, not in parking lots in front of children by someone seeking revenge. I am grateful to the Commerce City Police Department and my team at the District Attorney’s Office for their hard work on this tragic case.” 

The Commerce City Police Department investigation revealed that Sayers likely used a ghost gun and gave the firearm to a family member immediately after the shooting; the murder weapon was never recovered. Cell phone video captured by a witness showed Sayers rubbing a different gun on Watson’s hands after the shooting, which Sayers then placed on the ground a short distance from Watson’s body. 

During trial, Sayers testified that an unidentified person shot Watson and fled, and that he was only attempting to retrieve his $15,000 gold necklace that had ended up near the victim’s body. No evidence supported these assertions. After hearing two weeks of testimony and reviewing extensive video and forensic evidence, the jury ultimately convicted the defendant.  

“Mr. Sayers’ actions directly undermined the work he claimed to dedicate his life to,” added Mason. “A man who presented himself as a mentor to young people and an advocate for nonviolence chose to commit the very act he said he stood against. The murder of Malcolm Watson was unnecessary, heinous, and ran counter to the values of community trust and genuine gun‑violence prevention.” 

Sayers was convicted of: 

• Second-Degree Murder (F2) (48 Years)

• Tampering with Physical Evidence (F6) (1.5. Years Consecutive)

• Attempt to Commit Tampering with Physical Evidence (F6) (1.5 Years Consecutive)

On July 24, 2026, Adams County District Court Judge Jeffrey Ruff sentenced Sayers to 51 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections. 

The 17th Judicial District Attorney's Office handled the prosecution of the case. The Commerce City Police Department led the investigation.