On May 26, 2016, 33-year-old Tanya M. Martin was killed in a drive-by shooting in the Wellston area of Saint Louis, Missouri. The incident occurred late Thursday night while Martin, a female, was visiting friends at a residence in the 6400 block of Wellsmar Avenue. According to reports from the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis, officers responded to a call of shots fired into the home at approximately 12:37 a.m.
Upon arrival, they discovered Martin inside the house suffering from a gunshot wound. She was transported to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Investigators determined that Martin was an innocent bystander and likely not the intended target of the attack. At the time of the shooting, at least six other people were inside the home, including several small children, but Martin was the only person struck by the gunfire. Witnesses and neighbors reported hearing more than a dozen shots, with the spray of bullets being so broad that the house next door was also hit. Martin’s family, including her nephew Derk Brown, expressed deep grief and confusion over the senseless violence that left her children without a mother.
Despite the involvement of the Major Case Squad and the North County Police Cooperative, the case has faced significant challenges. As of the last available updates, no arrests have been made, and no suspects have been publicly identified in connection with her death. Authorities have continued to appeal to the public for information, urging anyone with knowledge of the incident to contact CrimeStoppers. The investigation remains open, but the homicide is currently listed among the area's unsolved cases.
