ST. CHARLES, Mo. — The man charged with killing four members of a St. Charles family and going on a crime spree walked into court still wearing bandages Monday afternoon. The arraignment was his first appearance before a judge.
Richard "Darren" Emery is facing 15 charges, including four counts of first-degree murder.
Emery is accused of killing his girlfriend, her two children and her mother. Eight-year-old Zoe Kasten, 10-year-old Jonathan Kasten and their 61-year-old grandma Jane Moeckel were shot to death in a bedroom at the children’s home. Kate Kasten, 39, was shot and later died at a nearby hospital.
He's being held without bond.
Emery did not have an attorney when he appeared in court Monday and also told the judge he has not contacted a public defender. The judge advised him to do so.
Emery couldn't enter a plea without having a lawyer.
The judge scheduled his next court appearance for Jan. 8 at 9 a.m.
The crime spree started at 11:55 p.m. Friday night, police said. After shooting the family in their St. Charles home, police said Emery got into a shootout with police and then stabbed a woman while trying to carjack her. The officers weren’t injured and the woman is expected to survive.
In court Monday, Emery was still wearing bandages from the injuries police said he got while in the shootout with officers.
Emery evaded police for about seven hours Saturday morning before someone at the QuikTrip on First Capital Drive noticed a man walk into the store while bleeding. Police responded and found Emery bleeding in the bathroom.
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St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney Tim Lohmar said Emery was living with the family in the home where the shooting occurred for about a year.
He called it the "worst example of a domestic violence case."
"Anytime a human life is lost, it's a tragic situation, and this one in particular is extremely tragic and sad. What can possess someone to take the life of a child is beyond me. I don't know how anyone could do such a thing, and we may never know," Lohmar said at a news conference Saturday.
He added that the investigation is still very active.
