Kevin Dudley

Kevin Duane "K. D." Dudley (born September 6, 1968 in Ensley; died November 10, 2009 in Bessemer) was a barber, minister, Gulf War veteran and robber who was killed by a store owner during an attempted robbery.

Dudley was the son of James O. and Marian Hicks Dudley of Ensley. He attended St Francis of Assisi Catholic School and graduated in 1986 from John Carroll Catholic High School. He was ordained into the ministry by Edward Rogers and served as an associate pastor at several churches, including Hopewell Baptist Church, First Baptist Church Cordova and First Baptist Church Hueytown.

Dudley served in the U. S. Army during Operation Desert Storm. In 1992 and 1996 he was charged with incidents of theft and burglary, both of which were dismissed. Later in 1996 he was convicted of robbery and sentenced to three years in prison.

In September 2009 Dudley was questioned in the homicide of Devellyn Wilson, found in a Bessemer motel room. He had been ministering to Wilson and had driven him on errands. He is also suspected to have robbed numerous businesses in western Jefferson County, wearing a camouflage army coat and hat and carrying a sawed-off shotgun. He was shot to death when he turned his back on the owner of The Bait Shop during a robbery in November 2009.

Dudley was survived by his wife, Katrina, and four children. He is buried at Forest Grove Memorial Gardens.

References

• Gray, Jeremy (November 13, 2009) "Family struggles after father, husband killed while attempting to rob business." Birmingham News
• Norris, Toraine (November 13, 2009) "Video: Man killed in attempted robbery in Bessemer linked to others, officials say." Birmingham News
• "Kevin D. Dudley" obituary (November 13, 2009) Birmingham News