Strikeforce and BKFC veteran Lumumba Sayers has been arrested on murder charges after he allegedly gunned down a man to avenge his son’s death.
According to an arrest affidavit first obtained by Denver7 on Monday, Sayers was arrested this past Saturday after he allegedly approached a man at a child’s birthday party and shot him in the head. The incident took place at Pioneer Park in Commerce City.
Sayers is currently in custody in Adams County, Colo. on first-degree murder and felony menacing charges and he’s being held on $1 million bond, per court records obtained by MMA Fighting. His next court hearing is scheduled on Thursday at 8:30 a.m. local time.
The victim later identified as Malcolm Watson, 28, is believed to be a friend of a man who was previously accused of killing Sayers’ son in a shooting that took place in August 2023. A suspect named Tyrell Braxton was later arrested in connection with the killing of Sayers’ son but charges were eventually dismissed.
The arrest affidavit involving Sayers states that “this murder was probably in retaliation or revenge” but doesn’t detail a further connection between Watson and Braxton.
According to the report, Watson was at a birthday party when a witness claimed that Sayers walked up and shot him “in the head at close range.” Sayers allegedly went back to Watson’s body and attempted to shoot him a second time but his gun “jammed.”
Witnesses claimed that Sayers then took some keys from Watson’s pocket and allegedly attempted to plant a gun near his body.
Sayers was reportedly despondent following the death of his son after they both worked tirelessly together on a program to help at-risk youths to avoid violence in the community.
The now 46-year-old veteran fought as recently as March when he competed at a BKFC event in Denver. In his MMA career, Sayers is best known for his time spent with Strikeforce where he fought a number of notable names including Anthony Smith, Derek Brunson and Scott Smith.
