KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Thirty years. That’s how long Kenyon Jones will spend in prison for the shooting death of Darnell Pearson — a man who identified as a woman and went by the name Dee Dee.

Darnell (Dee Dee) Pearson, 31, was gunned down Christmas Eve 2011. His convicted killer, Kenyan Jones, told police he paid Pearson for sexual relations and became angry when he later learned Pearson was a man.

According to court records, Jones saw Pearson hours later in the area of East 43rd Street and Troost Avenue and became angry about their prior sexual encounter. That’s when, according to court records, Jones obtained a gun from a party he refused to identify and approached Pearson in the area of East 46th Street and Troost Ave. Jones said he chased Pearson to the entryway of 1006 E. 43rd Street where, he said, he “popped him.”

A witness described hearing four to five shots. Pearson died in the entryway of the apartment building where he was staying. Pearson’s family said they forgive Jones who asked for their forgiveness in court.

“I have forgiven the young man,” said a relative who didn’t want to be identified. “So justice do what they need to do. But I’m — just thank God that it’s over and I just hope that at this point we can stop killing one another.”

On Thursday, Jones was convicted of second degree murder and armed criminal action and sentenced to 30 years in prison.