Des Moines man sentenced to life in prison for 2021 murder of Kalvyn Kline

What troubles Judge Jeffrey Farrell the most about the murder of Kalvyn Kline , he says, is that the motive for the crime is still unclear.

Darren Diggs, 29, of Des Moines was convicted in March of first-degree murder in the death of Kline, who was found shot to death in his car in October 2021. Prosecutors believe Kline, 21, was meeting Diggs outside Diggs' apartment to purchase drugs, and presented evidence including video of a man resembling Diggs leaving the building just before the shooting and a handgun identified as the murder weapon found in Diggs' residence.

But as Diggs appeared Thursday to be sentenced, it's still not known what led him to shoot Kline, Farrell said.

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"What’s most unfortunate I felt on this is, why did this happen? What was gained?" Farrell said. "Was it a dispute over a little bit of Xanax or a little bit of money? Was that what this was about? I don’t think we know the answer to that."

Iowa law mandates a sentence of life without parole for first-degree murder, and Farrell sentenced Diggs accordingly, ordering him also to pay $150,000 in restitution to Kline's estate.

Kline was married with two young children, and his wife, Bailey Martin, took the stand to tell Diggs she had no forgiveness for him.

"You didn’t just take my husband, you took the father of my children, and it’s only right that you be taken away from your children," Martin said.

Kline's mother, Jess James, also spoke, telling Diggs that her son "would never have done this to you."

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Farrell acknowledged the family's grief and told Diggs he'd inflicted similar harm on his own family.

"It just seems like such a waste," the judge said. "Now there’s a life that’s gone and a family that’s suffering, and your life is gone in the sense that you’re not going to be there for your children and the family in your life."

Diggs declined to speak before the sentence was read.

William Morris covers courts for the Des Moines Register. He can be contacted at wrmorris2@registermedia.com or 715-573-8166 .

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Des Moines man sentenced to life in prison for 2021 murder of Kalvyn Kline