Man sentenced for shooting and killing 9-year-old Sacramento girl

Lais Hands was convicted of shooting 9-year-old Makaylah Brent at a Del Paso Heights Park on October 3, 2020. Hais and another man fired at a group of people intending to shoot a rival gang member. Three other people were injured in the shooting a Mama Marks Park.

On May 5, 2023, the Honorable Maryanne Gilliard sentenced Lais Hands to 138 years and 8 months to life in prison.  On March 2, 2023, a jury convicted Hands of murder with a personal use of a firearm causing death allegation found true.  Hands was also convicted of attempted murder with a personal use of a firearm causing great bodily injury allegation found true, two counts of assault with a semi-automatic weapon with personal use of a firearm allegations found true and felon in possession of a firearm.

On the afternoon of October 3, 2020, Lais Hands drove to Mama Marks Park.  Hands got out of his car and fired a 9mm semi-automatic handgun nine times at the park.  A second shooter was seated directly behind Hands. That unidentified shooter remained in the car as he shot at the park two times with a .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun. Hands was intending to kill a rival gang member, but instead shot and instantly killed 9-year-old Makaylah. Three other people at the park were injured but survived, including a 7-year-old child.

At the sentencing hearing, the Court found true the allegation that Hands has a prior strike conviction for assault with a semi-automatic firearm.

Sacramento County DA