In the quiet Castle Point neighborhood of north St. Louis County, the evening of September 27, 2019, was shattered by violence that tragically ended the life of 34-year-old Amy Wiseman. A resident of Collinsville, Illinois, Wiseman was inside a home on the 10200 block of Duke Drive when an argument erupted between two other individuals. She was not involved in the dispute, an innocent bystander to the escalating tensions.
Around 9 p.m., the argument took a fatal turn when one of the
individuals involved allegedly fired a gun. The bullet struck Wiseman, inflicting a mortal wound. When St. Louis County police officers arrived at the scene, they found her suffering from the gunshot wound. Despite their efforts, Amy Wiseman was pronounced dead at the home. Investigators quickly determined that she was not the intended target of the gunfire.
The investigation into Wiseman's death led authorities to identify Rashad J. Manning, a 41-year-old from St. Louis, as the primary suspect. On October 8, 2019, Manning was located and arrested in Mississippi. He was subsequently charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the shooting death of Amy Wiseman. He was held without bond pending trial.
The case against Rashad J. Manning proceeded to a jury trial in a St. Louis County courthouse. During the trial, witnesses testified that Manning had been banging on the door of the residence, which led to an argument over the loud knocking. The prosecution argued that during this dispute, Manning fired at the homeowner, who ducked, resulting in the fatal shot that struck Amy Wiseman. Manning's defense attorney countered that while his client was at the home to sell drugs, he became the victim of an attempted robbery. The defense claimed that a struggle over a firearm ensued, and it was during this struggle that the gun discharged. After nearly six hours of deliberation, the jury returned a verdict, finding Rashad J. Manning not guilty on both charges of first-degree murder and armed criminal action. Following his acquittal in Wiseman's death, Manning remained in custody at the St. Louis County Jail on a stealing charge from an unrelated case.
