On December 28, 2018, a tragic series of violent events unfolded in Saint Charles, Missouri, claiming the life of 61-year-old Jane Mary Moeckel. Jane, a female resident of the area, was staying at a home on Whetstone Drive to recover from a recent hip surgery. She was visiting her daughter and two young grandchildren when the household became the scene of a quadruple homicide. Authorities were alerted to the residence just before midnight after receiving reports of gunshots.
Inside the home, officers discovered a horrific scene where three generations of the family had been targeted.
The perpetrator was identified as Richard 'Darren' Emery, the live-in boyfriend of Jane’s daughter. According to investigators, the violence began when Emery fatally shot Jane’s 39-year-old daughter, Kate Kasten, in an upstairs bedroom. In a desperate bid to save her grandchildren, Jane attempted to barricade herself, 10-year-old Jonathan Kasten, and 8-year-old Zoe Kasten in a downstairs bedroom. Emery forced his way into the room and shot all three victims at close range. Jane and the two children were pronounced dead at the scene, while her daughter was transported to a hospital where she later succumbed to her injuries.
After fleeing the residence, Emery engaged in a chaotic crime spree across the area. He was spotted by police patrols and, upon being pulled over, exited his vehicle and opened fire on the officers, striking their patrol car multiple times. He then abandoned his truck and attempted to carjack a passing female motorist, stabbing her seven times when she refused to surrender her vehicle. The woman survived the assault, and Emery fled on foot. A massive manhunt ensued, concluding hours later when police received a tip about a bleeding man in the restroom of a local convenience store. Emery was taken into custody, suffering from gunshot wounds sustained during the earlier exchange with law enforcement.
In October 2022, Richard Emery stood trial for the murders. His defense team argued that he suffered from a mental health disorder that placed him in a dissociated state during the killings, comparing his perception of the events to a video game. The jury rejected this defense, deliberating for less than two hours before finding him guilty on all counts, including four charges of first-degree murder, armed criminal action, and assault. Following the jury’s recommendation, a judge formally sentenced Emery to death for the four murders in November 2022. He subsequently received an additional sentence of 210 years in prison for the other crimes committed during his flight from authorities.
