In the late summer of 2020, a quiet Sunday morning in the Dutchtown neighborhood of south St. Louis was shattered by violence that claimed the life of Michael Scott Chapman. On August 30, 2020, the 40-year-old man was found deceased inside an apartment on the 3500 block of Bingham Avenue. An investigation revealed that Chapman had been fatally shot.
Responding to the scene at approximately 8 a.m., St. Louis police officers were met with a tense situation.
They believed a suspect had locked himself inside one of the apartments, which prompted the call for a SWAT team. However, when law enforcement finally gained entry to the unit, they discovered the person they sought had already fled the location. The initial discovery of Chapman's body and the subsequent standoff created a significant police presence in the area as the investigation into his death began.
The search for a suspect did not last long. Authorities quickly identified 41-year-old Earnest Moore in connection with the fatal shooting. He was apprehended and subsequently charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action for his alleged role in Michael Chapman's death. The charges were filed a couple of days after the incident, marking a swift development in the case.
