RIVERVIEW, Mo. — The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office has issued charges against two suspects after a shooting, resulting in one person's death and one injury in September in the Riverview neighborhood.
An investigation was requested from the City of Riverview after a shooting on Sept. 23.
Ramon Lapid, 45, was arrested on Oct. 4 and DeSean Pearson, 25, was arrested on Oct. 17 in connection to the shooting, according to the St. Louis County Police Department's news release.
Lapid was charged with one count of second-degree murder and one count of armed criminal action. He is being held on a $500,000 cash-only bond.
Pearson was charged with one count of second-degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action, one count of stealing a firearm and one count of first-degree assault. The 25-year-old is also being held on a $500,000 cash-only bond.
The shooting occurred at 10:16 p.m. on the 9800 block of Lilac Drive. Riverview police officers responded to the call, finding two adults suffering from gunshot wounds.
Lapid and Pearson, acting together, went to the victim's home to purchase a green leafy substance. One of the suspects obtained the victim's firearm and shot a second victim in the chest, killing her, according to the news release.
They then tried to steal jars of a green leafy substance and later got into a vehicle.
The male victim approached the vehicle and was shot by the suspects on the left side, causing serious physical injury, according to the probable cause statement.
Both victims were transported to an area hospital where the woman was pronounced deceased.
The female victim was identified by St. Louis County Police as 49-year-old Toni Stroder. Stroder lived in the area where the shooting occurred, according to police.
The Village of Riverview police requested the St. Louis County Police Department's Crime Against Persons to investigate the case.
Please contact the St. Louis County Police Department at 636-529-8210 to speak with investigators if you have any information regarding this incident. To remain anonymous or potentially receive a reward, please contact CrimeStoppers at 1-866-371-TIPS (8477).
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.
Better Family Life is a nonprofit community development organization working to “stabilize inner-city neighborhoods.” One aspect of its mission is a gun violence de-escalation program.
To learn more, call 314-381-8200 or visit https://www.betterfamilylife.org/
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.”
To learn more, call 314-327-6697 or email: ProjectLOV@WUSTL.edu
The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis has an anti-crime program called “Safety Net for Youth Initiative,” which is a joint partnership with Saint Louis Public Schools to provide services to at-risk youth.
To learn more, visit https://www.ulstl.com/anti-crime-initiative.html
Cure Violence is an international organization that has recently launched in a handful of St. Louis neighborhoods. Violence interrupters are trained to deescalate violent situations within their own communities. To learn more, visit https://cvg.org/
