Idaho Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Father's Day Massacre of Neighbor's Family

Apr 02, 11:00 PM

A 32-year-old man from Idaho received a life sentence for the tragic killing of a neighboring family, which included two teenagers. The incident, motivated by a desire for revenge, deeply affected the community and left the victims' families grappling with profound grief.
Court records indicate that First Judicial District Court Judge Barbara Duggan sentenced Majorjon Kaylor to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for the 2023 quadruple murder. The victims included Kenneth Guardipee, aged 65, his daughter Kenna Guardipee, aged 41, and her two children, Devin Smith, aged 18, and Aiken Smith, aged 16.
During the sentencing hearing on Monday, the perpetrator, identified as Kaylor, faced a scathing rebuke from Judge Duggan, who described the killings as a "particularly heinous event.”

Before the sentencing, relatives of the victims were given the opportunity to read their victim impact statements. David Silva, the grandfather of Aiken and Devin Smith, lamented the loss of an entire branch of their family tree, emphasizing the absence of future generations to cherish. “He killed an entire branch of our family tree. “Never any great-grandchildren to watch grow up. I lost my best friend (Aiken Smith). He spent hundreds of hours volunteering throughout the community. An entire beautiful family taken by one person,”
Gerri Silva, the mother of Kenna Guardipee, spoke of losing three generations in one devastating blow, revealing the profound emptiness left in the wake of the murders.
Kenneth Guardipee's brother, Joe Guardipee, condemned Kaylor's actions, accusing him of destroying not only their family but also his own. “What a man you are. Not only did you destroy my family, but yours as well,” he said. You said you were protecting your children. Let me ask you: Who’s protecting them now?”

The massacre unfolded on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 18, 2023, when deputies from the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office responded to a distressing 911 call reporting multiple gunshot victims at a residence in Kellogg, Idaho. Upon arrival, they apprehended Kaylor, who was later charged with the murders of four individuals from the neighboring family.
According to investigators, the shooting occurred following a disagreement between neighbors. The four victims resided in the lower apartment of a duplex, while Kaylor and his family occupied the upper apartment. The families had only been sharing the space for a few weeks before the tragic incident took place.
A probable cause affidavit revealed that the massacre transpired less than a week after Kaylor and his family lodged a complaint accusing Devin Smith of indecent exposure. In the police report, Kaylor's wife recounted an incident where Devin Smith allegedly stood fully naked in his ground-level bedroom window and engaged in inappropriate behavior while she and her young daughter were playing outside.

After Kaylor's arrest, authorities reported that he confessed to the murder of the four family members. He explained that he attempted to discuss the alleged indecent exposure incident with Kenna Guardipee and her father but grew increasingly frustrated when they did not take the matter seriously. Kaylor admitted that he reached a breaking point and acted violently to address his anger, stating that he "snapped" and "lost control." The indictment outlined that all four killings were motivated by Kaylor's desire for revenge.
Judge Duggan noted that Kellogg Police Officers had documented a report regarding the incident on June 13. Expressing frustration with law enforcement's response, Kaylor indicated that he wouldn't involve them if such an incident occurred again.
On the day of the tragic events, June 18, Kaylor proceeded to shoot Kenna in the hand, torso, and temple, followed by shooting Kenneth in the torso and head. Subsequently, Kaylor entered the residence and shot Aiken in the back and temple, and Devin was struck by gunfire four times.
Kaylor called 911 and said he "executed a f*****g pedophile and his family." Dispatch responded, "You shot four people and they're all dead?" "Yes, I shot four people," Kaylor said.
During his sentencing, Kaylor opted not to address the court.
His defense team urged the court to take into account Kaylor's troubled background, highlighting a childhood marked by abuse, poverty, and instability. Additionally, they raised questions about why the court had not provided any recourse for Kaylor's family, such as issuing restraining orders, following the initial instances of misconduct.
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