On the night of August 7, 2016, violence erupted inside a residence in the Forest Park Southeast neighborhood of St. Louis, Missouri, claiming the lives of two men and leaving a third critically injured. Huston Martin, a 41-year-old male former probation and parole officer who also taught domestic violence classes, was at his home in the 4200 block of Chouteau Avenue when the shooting occurred.
Around 11:00 p.m., police were called to the scene by acquaintances who had grown concerned after being unable to reach the victims. Upon arrival, officers discovered a chaotic and bloody scene inside the apartment where Martin and another man had been fatally struck by gunfire.
The second deceased victim was identified as 38-year-old Cory Goodwin, who was found dead at the scene alongside Martin. A third victim, identified as Huston Martin’s brother, Clinton Martin, had survived a brutal assault during the same incident. He had sustained gunshot wounds to his finger, mouth, and chest and had been left bleeding on a couch for nearly 20 hours before authorities discovered him. He was transported to a hospital in critical condition but ultimately survived his injuries. Investigators quickly began piecing together the events that led to the double homicide, determining that the violence likely stemmed from an interpersonal dispute.
Authorities identified a suspect, Miquis Crumble, who was 19 years old at the time of the shooting. According to prosecutors, the deadly encounter was fueled by tension between Crumble and Huston Martin regarding a woman. Following the investigation, Crumble was apprehended and initially faced charges of first-degree murder. The legal proceedings continued for two years as the families of the victims awaited justice. Clinton Martin, having recovered from his wounds, was prepared to testify against the man who killed his brother and friend, but the case did not proceed to a full trial.
In August 2018, as his trial was set to begin, Miquis Crumble, then 21 years old, accepted a plea deal from St. Louis prosecutors. He pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder for the deaths of Huston Martin and Cory Goodwin, as well as assault charges for the shooting of Clinton Martin. In accordance with the plea agreement, a judge sentenced Crumble to 45 years in prison, bringing a conclusion to the legal chapter of the tragedy that had shaken the Forest Park Southeast community two years prior.
