Laveasha Houston, a 44-year-old female, was fatally shot on the evening of December 17, 2021, while inside her residence in the Hyde Park neighborhood of St. Louis, Missouri. The incident occurred at a home located in the 1500 block of Agnes Street. At the time of the shooting, Houston was on the second floor of the building, reportedly watching television, when gunfire erupted from outside the structure.
She sustained a gunshot wound and was later pronounced dead.
Investigators determined that the shots had been fired into the home from the exterior. Houston’s husband, who was also present in the home, reported hearing the gunshots and subsequently saw a man fleeing the scene. The suspect was identified as Tony Cross Jr., a 25-year-old man who had previously dated Houston's daughter. Witnesses and evidence placed Cross at the location, leading to his arrest in connection with the homicide.
Following the investigation, prosecutors charged Cross with second-degree murder, armed criminal action, and unlawful use of a weapon for discharging a firearm into an occupied dwelling. The legal proceedings continued for several years until a resolution was reached in December 2024. As his trial was set to begin, Cross entered a guilty plea to reduced charges of voluntary manslaughter and armed criminal action. A judge subsequently sentenced him to ten years in prison for his role in Houston's death.
