Des Moines man convicted of first-degree murder in 2021 shooting

A Polk County jury convicted a Des Moines man of first-degree murder Friday for the October 2021 shooting that killed Kalvyn Kline. 

Darren Antwon Diggs, 29, was accused of killing Mr. Kline, 21, on Oct. 22, 2021, by shooting him multiple times in his head and chest outside Crosswinds Apartments at 1648 Hull Ave.  

Phone evidence indicated that Mr. Kline had called the defendant to buy Xanax a short time before his death, and a video showed a man resembling Mr. Diggs had exited the apartment building at Crosswinds where he lived. In addition, bullet projectiles and shell casings found at the scene matched a 9mm handgun owned by the defendant, according to a firearms expert. Mr. Diggs also told police inconsistent statements about his actions that morning.  

The jury returned its verdict at noon Friday after deliberating since noon Thursday. First-degree murder carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison. 

The case was prosecuted by Jaki Livingston, Thomas Tolbert, and Shannon Bogolin, with assistance from Lindsay Scott. Detective Brad Youngblut of the Des Moines Police Department led the investigation.