A California man has been convicted of three counts of first-degree murder after opening fire on his girlfriend’s family during a dispute about his karaoke machine. Eric Otto White, 63, was found guilty on April 30 for the 2020 deaths of his girlfriend Kavina Madison Brooks, her twin sister Kavona Brooks-Lee, and her brother-in-law Kenneth Lee. He also injured Brooks’ 14-year-old daughter, Zanorra Brooks Killebrew, in the attack.
The Fatal Shooting
The tragic incident occurred on the early morning of August 16, 2020, when White returned to the home he shared with Brooks around 1:25 a.m. after a prior argument. Within minutes of his arrival, White, carrying a gun, opened fire, killing the three victims.
Killebrew testified during the trial that White had been angry about Brooks’ parenting and upset that she touched his karaoke speaker, which had been a source of tension between the couple.
The argument had been escalating for days after Brooks told White he could move out of the house and hinted that she might find “someone else.” After the shooting, White fled to Las Vegas, where he was eventually captured.
Defense and Mental Illness Claims
During the trial, White’s attorney, James Gass, argued that his client suffered from mental illness, including schizophrenic affective disorder, bipolar disorder, and depression. Gass contended that White had not been taking his prescribed medication at the time of the shooting and that his history of head injuries may have impaired his judgment.
Despite these claims, San Bernardino County District Attorney Justin Crocker argued that White made a clear decision to commit murder, with the shooting occurring in rapid succession after the first shot. Crocker stated, “Once that decision is made, it became shot after shot after shot.”
Sentencing and Future Steps
With the conviction now in place, White’s sentencing trial began on May 5. He faces the possibility of either the death penalty or life in prison for the killings. After the verdict was delivered, Brooks-Lee’s daughter, Alicia Sutton, spoke to the media, describing her feelings as “sad, but finally,” signaling a sense of closure after the long legal battle.
Jurors will now decide on a sentencing recommendation, which Superior Court Judge Cheryl C. Kersey will either accept or impose her own sentence. The decision will mark the next step in this tragic case.
