Dwayne Adway, best known for his role on NYPD Blue, filed a lawsuit Monday against his late daughter’s former boyfriend, Makar Kirikov, as well as the city and county of Los Angeles, alleging negligence, wrongful death, and civil rights violations.
According to the Daily Mail, the suit claims authorities failed to properly investigate the circumstances surrounding 20-year-old Daelena’s death, which was initially ruled a suicide. On May 23, 2024, just weeks before her 21st birthday, Daelena was found dead in the luxury El Centro Hollywood apartment she shared with Kirikov.
Police reports state her boyfriend discovered her in the shower and attempted CPR until paramedics arrived, but she could not be revived. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner ruled her death a suicide by hanging, citing an external examination as sufficient, and opted not to conduct an autopsy.
Adway’s lawsuit asserts that the Los Angeles Police Department simply accepted Kirikov’s version of events, allegedly overlooking signs of foul play, including bruises and abrasions found on Daelena’s body. He contends that these injuries, as well as other suspicious circumstances, were not properly addressed, raising concerns about a “systemic disregard for properly evaluating suspicious deaths involving young black women.”
According to the legal filing, Daelena and Kirikov had lived together for a year but their relationship was marked by incidents of domestic violence. Adway claims his daughter ended the relationship in January 2024 after repeated abuse and was communicating with another romantic partner at the time of her death. On the night she died, Daelena and Kirikov reportedly argued, allegedly triggered by his jealousy over her reconnecting with someone in Texas.
Kirikov told police he left the apartment after the argument and returned later to find Daelena dead in the bathroom. He said he performed CPR until paramedics arrived, but she could not be saved. The police report reflects his account, but Adway and other family members maintain that crucial evidence was ignored.
Daelena’s mother, Elaine, has been vocal in her belief that her daughter would not have taken her own life and has publicly criticized the authorities’ handling of the case. She pointed to bruises, bleeding, and puncture wounds on Daelena’s body that were not included in the coroner’s report. Elaine said she had to examine her daughter’s body herself because no autopsy was performed.
Elaine, Daelena’s mother, said:
Her body tells a different story than what police are telling us, with bruises and bleeding from two puncture wounds approximately an inch apart that go from the front of her body straight thru to the back and other bleeding. All of these findings that I found because I was left no choice but to have to examine her body myself, the county coroner left out of his report. Only toxicology was done by county coroner, no autopsy.
Elaine also noted that Daelena was about to graduate from university, had plans for the future, and recently won a poetry contest. She insisted her daughter was not suicidal and highlighted that Daelena had been seeing a therapist who reported no signs of depression or suicidal ideation.
Daelena’s brother, Kaevaan, echoed the family’s concerns, stating that he wanted her death to be investigated more fully before being written off as a suicide. He questioned whether she had taken her own life or if there was something more sinister involved.
The lawsuit was filed by Adway, not only by Kirikov but also by the city and county of Los Angeles, accusing them of failing to properly train and supervise officers in handling suspicious deaths. The suit alleges a pattern of systemic failures when it comes to investigating deaths involving young Black women.
Adway is seeking damages and a full investigation into his daughter’s death, stating that the emotional distress from her loss and the authorities’ actions have caused him significant suffering. According to Adway, the LAPD’s lack of a thorough investigation compounded his grief and left the family without closure or justice.
Elaine, meanwhile, has called for a private autopsy, citing the need for further evidence and transparency. She even turned to online fundraising to cover the costs, expressing frustration that the burden of investigation fell on the family rather than the authorities.
Dwayne Adway, heartbroken and still searching for answers, has taken legal action against his late daughter’s ex-boyfriend and Los Angeles authorities, claiming negligence and a failure to pursue justice. The lawsuit comes after Daelena Mackay’s death was ruled a suicide, a finding her family continues to dispute based on evidence they believe was overlooked.
With the family’s lawsuit now filed, the Los Angeles County court system will be tasked with addressing questions about the investigation, the handling of evidence, and whether systemic issues played a role in how Daelena’s case was closed. The fight for answers continues as the Mackay family seeks both accountability and closure.
