In the early morning hours of a Sunday in September 2020, a dispute on Westdell Drive in Dellwood, a suburb of St. Louis, turned fatal, claiming the life of 28-year-old Deron Wickerson. The altercation, which involved two other men, escalated to violence when shots were fired. Wickerson, a resident of Hazelwood, was struck in the leg as he attempted to flee the scene.
North County Police Cooperative officers responded to a report of shots fired around 5:20 a.m. and found the wounded Wickerson. He was quickly transported to a local hospital for medical attention, but his injury proved to be too severe, and he succumbed to the gunshot wound. The Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis was activated to lead the homicide investigation.
The investigation swiftly led to the identification and apprehension of two suspects from Cahokia, Illinois: 27-year-old Elijah Williams and 18-year-old Daylan Williams. Investigators believe the two men were involved in the initial dispute with Wickerson that led to the shooting. Authorities also recovered several firearms that were potentially used in the incident. Both Elijah and Daylan Williams were subsequently charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action. They were held at the St. Louis County Department of Corrections, with their bond set at $30,000 cash-only.
