Clyde Sanders, 38, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for killing 19-year-old Kobe Dotson in April 2023 when Sanders shot at Dotson and others while they were reversing down a street. During his sentencing hearing on Monday, Sanders taunted the victim's family by looking through autopsy photos as they gave their statements, leading to an outburst from the family that required deputies to intervene with a taser. Prosecutors increased their initial recommendation from 23 years due to Sanders' disrespectful behavior during the hearing.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-29,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In April 2023, Clyde Sanders, aged 38, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the death of 19-year-old Kobe Dotson. During the sentencing hearing at a Missouri court, as Dotson's family delivered their victim impact statements, Sanders rummaged through autopsy photos and made sarcastic comments. This infuriated the family members who responded with verbal outbursts. As a female relative tried to approach Sanders, a deputy deployed a taser to prevent further disturbances. The St. Louis Sheriff’s Office stated that no one was injured by the taser. Prosecutors were so angered by Sanders' conduct that they increased their sentencing recommendation from 23 years to 25 years, leading to the judge's final decision.
Written for “Autopsy Photos Used In Trial” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
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A Missouri killer taunted a teenage victim's family by rifling through autopsy photos during his sentencing hearing.
asserted
killer → sign → hearing
Clyde Sanders, 38, was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Monday for the death of 19-year-old Kobe Dotson in April 2023.
asserted
Sanders → sentence → April
While Dotson's family members gave their victim impact statements, Sanders sifted through autopsy photos and shot back smart remarks, STL Today reported.
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Today → give → remarks
The victim's family was outraged and yelled back responses.
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family → outrage → responses
At the end of the hearing, a deputy fired a taser toward a female family member, who rushed toward the killer during the hearing.
asserted
who → fire → hearing
The court said the taser was deployed to stop her and to avoid others rushing toward Sanders.
asserted
taser → say → Sanders
'Deputies intervened to separate those involved and restore order, which included deploying a taser.
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which → intervene → taser
The taser did not strike anyone,' the St. Louis Sheriff’s Office said in a statement to Fox 2 Now.
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Office → strike → Fox
Prosecutors were so irritated by Sanders' behavior that they withdrew their recommendation of 23 years in prison, and instead went up to 25 years, STL Today said.
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Today → withdraw → years
The judge stopped the hearing to allow the criminal to consult his lawyer.
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criminal → stop → lawyer
When he returned to the courtroom – alongside roughly 20 members of the Dotson family – he was sentenced to 25 years.
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he → return → years
Clyde Sanders, 38, (pictured) sifted through autopsy photographs while Kobe Dotson's family gave their victim impact statements on Monday
Dotson died after Sander shot at him and others while he reversed down the road.
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he → picture → road
The conflict started after Sanders approached the group, demanding they return an item he was missing
As Sanders moved to leave, the Dotson family member rushed toward him.
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member → start → him
The family was escorted out of the courtroom screaming and crying, STL Today reported.
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Today → escort → courtroom
They remained outside the courthouse yelling until deputies ordered them to leave, the outlet said.
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outlet → remain → them
Sanders pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and armed criminal action on Friday as part of a plea deal.
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Sanders → plead → deal
Through the agreement, nine other charges were dismissed, according to Fox 2 Now.
uncertain
charges → dismiss → Fox
Sanders shot Dotson on April 25, 2023, after he approached the 19-year-old and three other teenagers, demanding they return an item the killer had lost.
asserted
killer → shoot → item
When the group attempted to drive away by reversing down the street, Sanders began firing toward them.
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Sanders → attempt → them
Roughly 20 family members showed up to the sentencing to represented Dotson
The road where Dotson died after Sanders shot at him and three others while they tried to escape in April 2023.
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they → show → April
Sanders behavior in court caused prosecutors to take away their sentencing recommendation of 23 years and go up to 25 years
Dotson's vehicle struck a fire hydrant so hard that both driver's side doors ripped off, a police report said, according to KSDK.
uncertain
report → cause → KSDK
Dotson was ejected from the vehicle, where police would later find him lying on the street barely breathing.
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him → eject → street
He was taken to the hospital, where he later died.
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he → take → hospital
The three other passengers, who were 16 and 17 at the time, ran from the scene.
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who → run → scene
Police later found them and took them to the hospital for minor injuries, KSDK said.
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KSDK → find → injuries
The Aporia
