In the late summer of 2016, a quiet street in Jennings, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri, became the scene of a senseless act of violence that claimed the life of 71-year-old Steven White. On September 9th, Mr. White, a male, was in a driveway when he was approached by two teenagers with the intention of stealing his vehicle. The encounter quickly escalated, and what began as a carjacking ended in a tragic homicide.
The two individuals involved were later identified as Melford Newlon, who
was 17 years old at the time, and his accomplice, Keishon Jennings. During the confrontation, a demand was made for Mr. White's car keys. When he refused to comply, the situation turned deadly. Newlon, armed with a gun, fired a single shot that struck Mr. White in the head, inflicting a fatal wound. Following the shooting, the assailants proceeded to go through the victim's pockets, taking his cellphone before fleeing the scene in his van.
The investigation into Steven White's murder moved swiftly. Within hours of the incident, police located the stolen van. When they attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver, alleged to be Newlon, accelerated in reverse toward the officers. The authorities were able to apprehend the suspects, bringing a swift end to their attempt to escape justice. It was reported that one of the teenagers had bragged about his involvement in the killing, a detail that underscored the callous nature of the crime.
In the months that followed, the legal process unfolded for the two young men responsible for Mr. White's death. Melford Newlon, the shooter, faced a charge of first-degree murder. His accomplice, Keishon Jennings, was also charged in connection with the crime. Ultimately, both accepted plea deals. Newlon pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and nine other felonies. In January 2022, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Keishon Jennings had previously pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and other related charges in 2019 and received a 17-year prison sentence for his role in the fatal carjacking.
