Officer Blake Curtis Snyder, a 33-year-old White male, was on duty with the St. Louis County Police Department during the early morning hours of October 6, 2016. A four-year veteran of the force, he responded to a disturbance call in the quiet suburban neighborhood of Green Park, Missouri, shortly after 5:00 a.m. The dispatch indicated that a young man was banging on the front door of a residence on the 10700 block of Arno Drive, demanding entry to see a female acquaintance who lived there.
Upon arriving at the scene, Officer Snyder approached a vehicle parked outside the home where the suspect, 18-year-old Trenton Forster, was seated. Snyder observed the individual inside the car and issued commands for him to show his hands, attempting to secure the situation. Instead of complying, Forster produced a 9mm pistol and fired a single shot at point-blank range, striking Snyder in the chin. The wound proved immediately fatal, and Snyder collapsed before he could return fire. A second officer who had arrived just moments later engaged Forster, shooting the suspect multiple times and critically wounding him, which allowed authorities to take him into custody.
Forster survived his injuries and was subsequently charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. During the legal proceedings, his defense team argued that he was suffering from a manic episode complicated by drug use and bipolar disorder, claiming he could not form the intent required for a first-degree murder conviction. Prosecutors countered by presenting evidence of Forster’s anti-police sentiments and previous statements expressing a desire for a confrontation with law enforcement. They argued that he had acted with cool deliberation when he pulled the trigger.
In February 2019, a St. Louis County jury found Forster guilty of first-degree murder. Two months later, in April 2019, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. During the sentencing hearing, Snyder’s widow addressed the court and the defendant, offering a statement of forgiveness despite the profound loss of her husband and the father of their young son. The presiding judge affirmed the life sentence, ensuring Forster would remain incarcerated for the remainder of his days.
