In late December 2018, a violent tragedy unfolded in a suburban home on Whetstone Drive in St. Charles, Missouri, claiming the life of 8-year-old Zoe Jane Kasten. On the night of December 28, police responded to a call regarding shots fired at the residence where Zoe lived with her family. Upon arrival, officers discovered a horrific scene involving multiple victims who had suffered fatal gunshot wounds.
Zoe was found deceased inside the home alongside her 10-year-old brother, Jonathan Douglas Kasten, and their 61-year-old grandmother, Jane Mary Moeckel. Zoe’s mother, 39-year-old Kate Elizabeth Kasten, was discovered critically injured and transported to a nearby hospital, where she later succumbed to her injuries.
The investigation immediately identified the suspect as Richard Darren Emery, who was in a relationship with Kate Kasten and had been living with the family. Following the shootings, Emery fled the scene in his vehicle. During his escape, he engaged in a shootout with police officers, striking their patrol vehicle multiple times before abandoning his own truck and fleeing on foot. In a desperate attempt to secure another vehicle, Emery attacked a woman in a nearby neighborhood, stabbing her multiple times during an attempted carjacking. The woman survived the assault. A manhunt ensued, lasting several hours until Emery was discovered bleeding from gunshot wounds in the restroom of a convenience store in St. Charles, where he was taken into custody.
Legal proceedings against Emery spanned several years, culminating in a trial in late 2022. In October of that year, a jury found him guilty on all counts, including four counts of first-degree murder, armed criminal action, and assault. During the penalty phase, the jury recommended the death penalty for the murders of Zoe and her family members. The presiding judge formally sentenced Emery to death in November 2022. In a separate sentencing hearing in September 2023, Emery received an additional consecutive term of hundreds of years for the other felonies committed during his flight, including the assault on the carjacking victim and the attempted assault on law enforcement officers.
Following his conviction, Emery initiated appeals challenging the verdict and sentence. In November 2024, the Missouri Supreme Court affirmed the lower court's judgment, upholding the death penalty. An execution date was initially scheduled for the spring of 2025; however, in March 2025, a stay of execution was granted. This legal pause was issued to allow for a review of a petition filed with the U.S. Supreme Court, in which Emery's defense argued that constitutional rights were violated during the sentencing phase, specifically alleging religious bias. As of early 2026, the case remains within the appellate system pending final resolution from the higher courts.
