Nathaniel Barry Stansberry III, a young Black man known to loved ones as "2 nate" or "2 ACE," was remembered for his big heart and for always smiling. At 23 years old, he was described as an outstanding and goofy person who brought joy to those around him. A former student of Sumner High School in St. Louis, Missouri, Nathaniel was a cherished member of his family and community. His life, however, was tragically cut short in the early hours of a cold Saturday morning.
On January 23, 2016, at approximately 1:00 a.m., officers from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department responded to a call for a shooting near the Northway Market in the 5500 block of West Florissant Avenue. Behind the market, they found Nathaniel suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators at the time believed Nathaniel had been waiting behind the building when the attack occurred. In the immediate aftermath, police were searching for three people—two females and one male—who were seen fleeing the area following the sound of gunfire. The killing left Nathaniel's family devastated and a community searching for answers.
The investigation into Nathaniel's homicide led authorities to a suspect, Charles Cornet Napper. He was arrested and subsequently charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action for his role in the fatal shooting. The case proceeded through the justice system, and as Napper’s trial was set to begin with a jury ready to hear opening statements, a plea agreement was reached between the prosecution and the defense.
In January 2018, nearly two years after Nathaniel’s death, Charles Napper appeared before a circuit judge to formally accept the plea deal. He pleaded guilty to the amended, lesser charges of second-degree murder and armed criminal action. As part of the agreement, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Under the terms of his sentence, Napper is required to serve at least 85 percent before he can become eligible for parole.
The sentencing hearing was marked by a moment of profound and unexpected grace. Nathaniel’s mother, Shaunte Harris, was given the opportunity to address the man who killed her son. Through tears, she spoke directly to Napper. “You took my baby away from me,” she said. “He was a good kid. And I forgive you because you was man enough to plead guilty.” In response to her powerful words, Napper turned to Harris and offered an apology for taking her son’s life. The judge presiding over the case, Mark Neill, acknowledged the exchange as the potential start of a difficult healing process, noting that the entire community suffers a loss when a life is taken so violently.
Family and friends gathered to say their final goodbyes to Nathaniel at a funeral service held on February 1, 2016, at the William C. Harris Chapel in St. Louis. Though his case is legally closed with the conviction and sentencing of his killer, the pain of his absence remains. On a memorial page, his mother later wrote, "Mommy misses you both," a heartbreaking reference to the loss of not only Nathaniel but also his sister. He is remembered not as a statistic of urban violence, but as a beloved son and friend whose life held promise and was ended far too soon.
