Detroit man sentenced to life in prison for 2018 witness retaliation murder of Starkisha Thompson

DETROIT – The third person charged in the 2018 murder of Starkisha Thompson in Detroit has been sentenced to life in prison.

Thompson, 33, was found fatally shot at 8:05 a.m. Oct. 9, 2018, in the area of Cordell Street and Collingham Drive, just south of Vernier Road. Prosecutors said she was murdered in retaliation for her testimony against Kenneth Dixon, who had carjacked her at gunpoint.

During the trial, Kenneth Dixon found Thompson’s address and gave it to Corey Holmes. Prosecutors said Holmes shot Thompson 12 times in her driveway just six days after she testified against Dixon.

Holmes was convicted by a Wayne County jury in June of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and witness retaliation. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

He was also sentenced to six to 10 years of incarceration on the witness retaliation charge, which will be served consecutive to his life sentence. Holmes is the third person to be found guilty in the murder plot.

Kenneth Dixon was convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, witness intimidation, and witness retaliation. He was sentenced to life in prison on Nov. 10, 2022.

Jah-Lana Streeter was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 11 to 25 years in prison.