ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — A man has been sentenced for a 2020 shooting on a St. Louis County interstate that left a woman dead.
The St. Louis Prosecuting Attorney's Office announced Thursday that Calvin Pittman, 33, was sentenced to 31 years in prison after being found guilty by a jury in January. He will consecutively serve 15 years for voluntary manslaughter, 10 years for unlawful use of a weapon, and three years each for two counts of armed criminal action.
The shooting happened on Nov. 30, 2020. Prosecutors said Pittman fired a shot from his vehicle, killing 46-year-old Kristen Whitted on Interstate 170 near Olive Boulevard. Pittman claimed he was returning fire at another vehicle that had shot at him and that Whitted wasn't his intended target.
After her killing, her family put out a plea for help to find those responsible. A good Samaritan came forward with information on a possible vehicle, leading police to eventually identify Pittman, police said.
In a news release, the prosecuting attorney's office shared quotes from Whitted's father and brother, who spoke at Thursday's sentencing hearing.
"We accept natural death. This is different. I can't see any reason why she shouldn't be here. I can't see any reason why she shouldn't be breathing," her father said.
"You are responsible for every round that leaves that chamber. We are seeking the full 31 years," said her brother, who explained that while he was praying for Pittman's family, his sister's killer needed to be held accountable.
"The court affirmed what the jury decided: that firing a gun on the highway is not a solution to your problems, certainly not a solution to your frustration with traffic," St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell said in the release. "We pray the Whitted family finds some solace and closure in this maximum sentence."
