On September 23, 2021, a violent incident unfolded in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, resulting in the death of 39-year-old David Flores. Officers from the Cape Girardeau Police Department were dispatched to a residence in the area of Giboney and Hickory Street around 12:30 p.m. following reports of a shooting. Upon their arrival, first responders located the male victim inside his home, suffering from a gunshot wound.
Despite immediate attempts to administer lifesaving measures at the scene, the injuries proved fatal, and he was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.
The homicide investigation was immediately launched by the Cape Girardeau/Bollinger County Major Case Squad. Authorities determined that the shooting occurred during the commission of a robbery at the residence. In the days following the murder, investigators were able to identify multiple suspects linked to the crime. The swift inquiry led to a series of arrests as law enforcement pieced together the events that led to the death of Flores, who was remembered in his obituary as a native of Dallas, Texas, and a generous spirit who enjoyed the outdoors.
Three 18-year-old men were taken into custody in connection with the slaying. Delijah James and Isaiah Triplett were the first to be arrested and charged with second-degree murder, first-degree robbery, and armed criminal action. A third suspect, Mylik Starnes, was apprehended shortly after the initial arrests and faced identical charges. Following their capture, all three suspects were held at the Cape Girardeau municipal jail, each with a cash-only bond set at $1,000,000 as the legal proceedings against them commenced.
