In the tragic case of Joseph Corley, a 20-year-old Black male from St. Louis, Missouri, a promising life was cut short on August 24, 2017. The events unfolded inside a residence in Glasgow Village, a neighborhood in North St. Louis County, where Corley lived with his family. The quiet of the home was shattered by violence that ultimately claimed not just Joseph’s life but also the lives of three of his family members.
Police were called to the scene after relatives, unable to reach the matriarch of the family, discovered her car was missing and sensed something was wrong. Upon entering the home, authorities found the bodies of Joseph Corley, his 56-year-old mother Patricia Steward, his 18-year-old brother Deandre Kelley Jr., and his 10-year-old brother Terrence Dehart. All four victims had been fatally shot.
The investigation quickly centered on an acquaintance who had been living with the family. Authorities identified the suspect as 24-year-old Ja'Vonne Dupree, a man whom Patricia Steward, a local hip-hop producer, had taken in because he was homeless. The relationship between the family and Dupree had reportedly soured, leading to him being kicked out of the residence shortly before the murders occurred. Investigators determined that in an act of retaliation, Dupree shot all four family members before fleeing the scene. In a calculated effort to conceal his crimes, he picked up shell casings and stole various items from the home, including electronics, clothing, shoes, and the family’s vehicle.
For months, the search for the perpetrator continued until law enforcement tracked Dupree to Columbia, Missouri, where he was arrested in December 2017. At the time of his capture, he was found in possession of three pairs of shoes that had been taken from the crime scene. Further incriminating evidence emerged from Dupree’s own digital footprint, as prosecutors revealed that he had made social media posts boasting about the killings and sharing details that would not have been known to the general public.
During the subsequent legal proceedings in October 2021, the details of that summer day were laid bare before a jury. Family members testified about the betrayal they felt, given the assistance they had provided to Dupree when he was in need. The jury found Ja'Vonne Dupree guilty on four counts of first-degree murder, along with multiple other felony charges including robbery and armed criminal action. Following the conviction, he was sentenced to serve four consecutive life terms in prison without the possibility of parole, ensuring he would spend the remainder of his days behind bars for the massacre that claimed Joseph Corley and his family.
