A promising young life was cut short on September 14, 2020, when 15-year-old Deosha Purnell was fatally shot in St. Louis, Missouri. That evening, Deosha was a passenger in a car near Riverview and Spring Garden when she was struck in the shoulder by gunfire. A bystander rushed to help after hearing gunshots and a car crash, finding Deosha in agony and applying pressure to her wound while praying with her.
Despite being rushed to a hospital for emergency medical attention, Deosha
succumbed to her injuries. Her death marked the 194th homicide in St. Louis for 2020, tragically equaling the total number of homicides for all of 2019. Known to her loved ones as a vibrant girl who loved to make people laugh and had a passion for doing hair, her mother affectionately called her 'hug-a-bunch,' while Deosha called herself 'Princess.'
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department has been investigating the case, but as of late 2025, no arrests have been made. The investigation is still considered ongoing. Witnesses reported that the suspect or suspects were in a blue vehicle, but further details have not been released. Deosha's family continues to mourn her loss and seeks justice for her unsolved murder.
