Netherlands approves extradition of woman accused in South Carolina killing
The Dutch Supreme Court has ruled that Kendra W., wanted for murder, can be extradited to the United States. The 34-year-old from South Carolina is accused of killing her ex-partner, former U.S. Army veteran Connor Ethan Lloyd, in 2021. She applied for asylum at Ter Apel reception center with her daughter in March 2025 and was arrested there in April 2025.
Shortly after midnight on August 18, 2021, Lloyd was fatally shot on the driveway of his home on Grover Drive in Lyman, South Carolina. U.S. prosecutors allege that he was drawn outside under the guise of a disturbance and shot several times. The killing took place amid a heated custody dispute over their one-year-old daughter at the time. Just days before the murder, a judge had approved a visitation schedule granting Lloyd upcoming unsupervised visits with his daughter.
American authorities have named Douglas Gilbert, a former coworker of Kendra W., as the shooter. He was taken into custody in South Carolina in April 2025.
The woman’s mother, Cynthia Wilson is also facing charges. Kendra W. is accused of persuading Gilbert to commit murder and of repeatedly lying and withholding information during questioning. On June 2 last year, the United States formally requested her extradition. Cynthia Wilson is suspected of playing an active role in organizing the murder, including taking part in a rehearsal of the plan with the others in the days leading up to the crime.
The Dutch court approved extradition for two of the three charges, both linked to involvement in the murder, but rejected it for the third charge, which concerned aiding the perpetrator after the crime.
Her lawyer had argued before the court that extradition to the United States was impossible due to the risk of the death penalty. A letter from the U.S. embassy, however, confirmed that W. would not face the death penalty if she were sent to the United States.
Both the prosecution and the suspect filed appeals. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the prosecution, approving extradition for all three charges and rejecting the suspect’s appeal. The decision now rests with the minister. W. is currently detained at the Nieuwersluis prison in Utrecht province.
Following Kendra’s arrest, her daughter was initially placed in foster care through Youth Care Services before ultimately being handed over to her grandfather, Connor Lloyd’s father, who received full custody.
