In the early hours of a Tuesday morning, the life of 20-year-old My’Leena Ra’Gine Colvin was tragically cut short. On October 9, 2018, in a north St. Louis County suburb, an intruder forced their way into her home in the 4300 block of Peyton Lane. The ensuing events resulted in Colvin being shot multiple times. Police responded to a call for 'shots fired' at approximately 1:21 AM and found her inside the residence. Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene.
The apparent cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds to the abdomen.
The investigation into the promising young woman's death was swiftly taken over by the Major Case Squad. Authorities treated the case as a homicide resulting from an apparent home invasion. Investigators began combing through surveillance footage in the hopes of piecing together the events of that fatal morning. While police considered the possibility that the victim knew her attacker, the suspect or suspects remained at large in the immediate aftermath of the shooting. The crime was described as very unusual for the neighborhood, leaving the community in shock.
In the months that followed, My'Leena's mother, Keisha Hayes, made heartfelt pleas to the public for any information that could lead to an arrest. She described her daughter as a beautiful person who loved to dance and sing and had her whole life ahead of her. The family was left traumatized by the violent intrusion into their home, a place that was supposed to be a sanctuary. Hayes spoke of her sleepless nights and the unimaginable pain of losing her daughter in such a brutal manner. She found it particularly cruel that nothing of value was taken from the home, emphasizing that the only thing of value stolen that day was her daughter's life.
Despite the ongoing investigation and a reward of up to $5,000 offered by CrimeStoppers, the case grew cold. Eight months after the murder, Keisha Hayes expressed her fear that her daughter's case would never be solved, as there had been no significant leads. At one point, an arrest was made in connection with the homicide; however, there was not enough evidence to file formal charges, and the individual was released. To this day, the murder of My’Leena Ra’Gine Colvin remains an open and unsolved case, a painful reality for a family still seeking justice.
