On a tragic evening in Jennings, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis, 24-year-old Trevion Berry was killed in a brazen shooting on December 9, 2019. He was the passenger in a Ford Fusion on McLaran Avenue when occupants of a black SUV opened fire on the vehicle. The fusillade of bullets struck and fatally wounded Berry. The driver of the Ford Fusion was fortunate to escape the encounter without injury.
Following the initial burst of violence, the black SUV momentarily left the scene, only to
return and unleash a second attack. This time, the target was a Kia, and the driver, Byron Staples, was fatally shot. The shocking and violent episode, which claimed two lives, was partially captured on video, providing crucial evidence for the ensuing investigation led by the St. Louis County Police Department.
The investigation led to the identification and arrest of three suspects. Cortez Caves, then 23, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of first-degree assault, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, and three counts of armed criminal action. Two other men, Edward Nixon, 24, and Matthew Granberry, 25, faced the same charges. Witnesses identified the men as being in the black SUV moments before the shootings and as the individuals who carried out the attacks.
After a trial that brought the harrowing details of the case to light, a St. Louis County jury deliberated for 12 hours before reaching a verdict in June 2023. Cortez Caves and Edward Nixon were both convicted on eight felony counts, including two counts each of first-degree murder for the deaths of Trevion Berry and Byron Staples. The conviction for first-degree murder carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. The resolution of the case brought a measure of justice to the families of the victims.
