On the evening of April 19, 2017, in Bellefontaine Neighbors, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri, 18-year-old Black/African American male Keith Sims was found shot to death inside a home. Alongside him was his 19-year-old friend, Derick Thomas, who had also been fatally shot. The discovery was made after police were called to a residence on Druid Drive in north St. Louis County.
Authorities launched a double homicide investigation into the deaths of the two young men.
At the time of the incident, police stated that they believed the individuals present in the house at the time of the shooting were acquainted with the perpetrator. Investigators identified a possible person of interest, but no immediate arrests were made.
Despite the initial leads, the case has remained unsolved. Law enforcement has continued to seek information from the public that could lead to the apprehension of the person or persons responsible for the killings of Keith Sims and Derick Thomas. The lack of resolution has left the families and the community awaiting justice for the two teenagers whose lives were cut short by gun violence.
