In the Carondelet neighborhood of Saint-Louis, Missouri, the holiday season of 2018 was tragically marred by violence. On December 23rd, Kourtney Steed, a 27-year-old male, was at his home on Pennsylvania Avenue when he was fatally shot. The incident was particularly shocking as the gunman was a family member, his cousin Romello Thomas. Thomas arrived at Steed's residence, knocked on the door, and upon Steed answering, he was shot multiple times.
The sound of gunfire was overheard by an
off-duty police officer who was attending a child's birthday party nearby. The officer immediately responded to the scene, chasing after Thomas on foot and successfully apprehending him. This swift action led to the immediate arrest of the suspect in connection with the shooting. The weekend of Steed's death was noted as being a particularly violent one in St. Louis, with a total of six homicides occurring.
Following his arrest, Romello Thomas was initially charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action, unlawful use and possession of a firearm, theft of a firearm, and resisting arrest. In January 2024, Thomas pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree murder for the death of his cousin, Kourtney Steed. As a result of his guilty plea, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
