On a Sunday afternoon in Saint Joseph, Missouri, a violent tragedy claimed the life of a young child. Raelynn Elise Craig, a 2-year-old female, was traveling in the backseat of a silver Dodge Caliber on August 9, 2020. Around 3:30 p.m., the vehicle was near the intersection of 20th and Messanie streets when a black Hyundai Elantra pulled alongside it. Without warning, the occupants of the Hyundai opened fire on the Dodge, unleashing a hail of at least fourteen bullets into the car.
The sudden drive-by shooting struck Raelynn and injured two adults who were also in the vehicle.
Emergency responders rushed the toddler to a nearby hospital, but the severity of her injuries proved fatal, and she died shortly after arriving. The two adults in the car with her survived their wounds, but the community was left reeling from the senseless loss of a child described by her family as smart, funny, and full of life. The attack sparked an immediate and intense investigation by local authorities to identify those responsible for the violence that erupted in broad daylight.
Police investigators quickly identified suspects linked to the black Hyundai Elantra involved in the ambush. Marcain R. Kimbrough-Ballard, a resident of Saint Joseph, was identified as a passenger in the suspect vehicle and was arrested in the weeks following the shooting. Authorities determined that he had fired shots at the Dodge Caliber. Another man, Caimon Ramone Stillman, was also implicated in the crime. During legal proceedings, it was revealed that the assailants may not have known a child was in the backseat when they opened fire, but the reckless nature of the attack led to severe charges.
The justice system eventually handed down significant sentences to those held accountable for Raelynn's death. Marcain Kimbrough-Ballard was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 26 years in prison. Caimon Stillman, who admitted to being involved but claimed ignorance of the child's presence, was also found guilty of second-degree murder and received a 24-year prison sentence. A third individual, Te'Avion Hawkins, was also identified by law enforcement as being involved in the incident, facing his own legal proceedings as the courts sought to close the chapter on a heartbreaking case of gun violence.
