The life of 30-year-old Moy'e Elkins came to a violent end during the early evening hours of January 13, 2021, in St. Louis, Missouri. The male victim was present at a BP gas station located on Natural Bridge Avenue near Grand Boulevard in the northern section of the city when the fatal encounter occurred. St. Louis police officers responded to the scene around 6:00 p.m. following reports of a shooting.
Upon their arrival, they discovered Elkins inside the business suffering from gunshot wounds. Emergency personnel transported him to a local hospital for treatment, but he was ultimately pronounced dead.
Investigators connected the fatal shooting to an earlier dispute at the same location just days prior. On January 10, police had been called to the gas station after reports of shots fired. According to the business owner, an argument had erupted inside the store between the victim and suspects. As the individuals involved left the establishment, one of the suspects turned and fired multiple rounds toward the victim. Although both parties fled the scene before officers arrived on that occasion, the tension apparently persisted, leading to the deadly confrontation three days later.
More than a year and a half after the homicide, authorities made a significant breakthrough in the case. On August 24, 2022, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department announced the arrest of 21-year-old Daevone Austin in connection with Elkins' death. Austin was taken into custody and subsequently charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. Prosecutors alleged that Austin was the gunman responsible for the fatal attack at the gas station, bringing the lengthy investigation to a new phase within the criminal justice system.
