In the early morning hours of June 3, 2019, tragedy struck in the 3100 block of Rauschenbach Avenue in St. Louis, Missouri, forever altering the lives of the Clark family. Jabari Clark, a 27-year-old male, was asleep in the driver's seat of his 2012 Dodge Ram truck in front of his home when his life was violently cut short. The incident, which unfolded at approximately 6 a.m., was a brutal and senseless act of violence that left a community in shock and a family mourning the loss of a loved
one.
Two armed individuals approached Clark's vehicle with the intention of carjacking it. One of the men, later identified as Jalen Exavier Simms, approached the driver's side where Clark was sleeping, while his accomplice went to the passenger side. Simms, at gunpoint, attempted to forcibly remove Clark from his truck. A struggle ensued, and in the midst of the confrontation, Simms' accomplice fired multiple shots, striking Clark. The two assailants then fled the scene. Despite the efforts of family members who rushed to his aid after he staggered from his truck and collapsed on his front lawn, Jabari Clark succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
The investigation into the homicide was aided by surveillance footage from a nearby home that captured the entire tragic event. A crucial piece of evidence was also left behind at the scene by Simms—a phone charging cord that contained his DNA. This, along with the video evidence, played a significant role in his identification and subsequent arrest. In December 2019, a federal indictment was brought against Jalen Exavier Simms, then 24 years old, for his role in the fatal attempted carjacking. He was charged with one count of attempted carjacking resulting in death and one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of that crime.
On August 1, 2022, the day his trial was set to begin, Jalen Exavier Simms pleaded guilty to one count of attempted carjacking resulting in death. In his plea, he admitted to his involvement in the crime. Subsequently, U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey sentenced Simms to 25 years in prison. This sentence was ordered to run consecutively to any sentences Simms might receive for other pending charges in different counties. While one perpetrator has been brought to justice, authorities have continued to seek the identity of the second man involved in the shooting.
