October 5, 2015

Alleged Murder-for-Hire Suspect Faces Federal Firearm Charge

DALLAS—A federal criminal complaint was filed on Friday, October, 3, 2015, and unsealed today, that charges Kristopher Ledell Love, 31, of Memphis, Tennessee, with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.

Love was arrested last week on a state capital murder charge for the September 2, 2015, murder of dentist Kendra Hatcher in the parking garage of her apartment building in Dallas. He is expected to make his initial appearance in federal court tomorrow, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Irma C. Ramirez, at 2:00 p.m.

According to the complaint, Love was convicted in 2005 for aggravated robbery in Shelby County, Tennessee, and sentenced to eight years in prison.

The investigation revealed, according to the complaint, that two individuals conspired together, and with others, including the shooter, who was identified as “Kris” LNU, to rob Dr. Hatcher in the parking garage of 1700 Cedar Springs Road. An individual was paid cash to drive the individual who ultimately shot and killed the victim to and from the parking garage where the murder took place. “Kris” LNU hid in the back of the vehicle so that a surveillance camera could not record him when the vehicle entered the parking garage. The vehicle’s driver and “Kris” LNU waited for several minutes until the driver observed Dr. Hatcher drive in and park. “Kris” LNU exited the vehicle. The driver heard a gunshot. “Kris” LNU returned to the vehicle a short time later, with two purses in his hand. The driver then drove them out of the garage and dropped “Kris” LNU off at an intersection in Dallas.

Further investigation revealed that “Kris” LNU is Kristopher Ledell Love. Law enforcement located Love in Dallas on Thursday, October 1, 2015. The vehicle he was driving was towed and subsequently searched, pursuant to a state search warrant. Law enforcement located and seized a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistol under the front seat of the vehicle. Love is a person prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his 2005 felony conviction in Shelby County, Tennessee.

A complaint is a written statement of the essential facts of the offense charged and must be made under oath before a magistrate judge. A defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. The government has 30 days to present the matter to a grand jury for indictment. The maximum statutory penalty for the offense as charged is 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.

The FBI, Dallas Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are conducting the ongoing investigation. Deputy Criminal Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Calvert is in charge of the prosecution.