ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — A St. Louis County man was sentenced to 25 years in prison after admitting to killing his elderly neighbor.
According to the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, 35-year-old Derek Nailor admitted to shooting and killing his 74-year-old neighbor, Tommy Byrd, on Oct. 23, 2021, after the neighbor tried to intervene in a domestic incident.
Prosecutors said Nailor was a convicted felon and disqualified from possessing a firearm.
Nailor on Wednesday pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and unlawful possession of a firearm. Five other charges were dismissed due to an essential witness' lack of cooperation.
As part of the plea deal, he was sentenced to 25-year and seven-year prison sentences, to be served concurrently, prosecutors said.
“This guilty plea and significant prison sentence holds this individual accountable for the heartless murder of someone who was only looking out for the well-being of a neighbor," County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell said in a statement. "We join his family in mourning the loss of Mr. Byrd."
Resources for crime victims
If you have been a victim of a crime or know someone who has been, 5 On Your Side has compiled a list of resources.
The Crime Victim Center of St. Louis has multiple programs to support victims of crime. Crime Victim Center’s programs range from direct services to crime victims as well as “creating awareness and change within the systems they encounter.”
Life Outside of Violence "helps those harmed by stabbing, gunshot or assault receive the treatment, support and resources they need to find alternatives to end the cycle of violence."
The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis has the Neighborhood Healing Network, which serves people who have experienced crime, violence or been the victim of an incident that caused trauma.
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