MAPLEWOOD, Mo. — An at-large warrant was issued Monday afternoon for the person suspected in a fatal shooting Thursday in Maplewood.
The Maplewood Police Department announced Monday afternoon that the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office issued an at-large warrant for second-degree murder for 18-year-old Justin Vance. He also faces one count each of armed criminal action and tampering with physical evidence.
Vance was still at large as of Tuesday afternoon and should be considered armed and dangerous. He faces a $1 million cash-only bond without 10%.
The Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis announced Tuesday that two minors were being referred to St. Louis County Court for consideration of charges in connection to the shooting.
The Major Case Squad was initially activated after a man was fatally shot Thursday evening. The department said officers responded shortly after 5:30 p.m. to a shooting in the 2200 block of Yale Avenue in Maplewood. Police said officers found a man who had been shot.
The man was taken to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. He was identified Friday as Terron Vales, 32, of Maplewood.
According to a probable cause statement, Vance and several unnamed co-conspirators met with Vales and demanded $400. When Vales refused, one member of the group "assaulted him with his hands" and a physical struggle began between the two.
Vance then pulled out a pistol and shot Vales in the back, the probable cause statement said.
Police said the group then ran from the scene and Vance hid the gun used to kill Vales in a nearby garage.
The shooting scene is near Maplewood's eastern border with St. Louis.
Maplewood police requested the Major Case Squad to assist with the investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Maplewood Police Department at 314-645-3000, the Major Case Squad at 314-393-3012 or CrimeStoppers at 1-866-371-TIPS (8477) or 314-393-3012.
"We appreciate the cooperation and support of the Maplewood community during this investigation," a spokesperson for the department said.
The killing Thursday is Maplewood's second homicide this year. In May, Malachi Brown, 21, was killed while riding a MetroLink train.
Last year, Jakobe Bass, 19, was found shot to death in the 2600 block of Bellevue. Prior to Bass' death, the last homicide was in 2010.
Correction on Oct. 27, 2023: An earlier version of this report misstated the number of homicides in Maplewood in the past several years. There have been three homicides since 2010: one in 2022 and two in 2023.