The body of twenty-three-year-old Laura Green, an African American woman, was discovered on the morning of July 20, 2015, in St. Louis, Missouri. Authorities were called to the scene near Interstate 70 and North Euclid Avenue around 8:00 a.m., where they found Green shot to death. The discovery marked a violent start to the day for the city, as her death was one of several homicides reported within a short timeframe.
Police investigations revealed that Green’s killing was not an isolated random act but appeared connected to other violence occurring that same morning, specifically the shooting deaths of two other women found in the 5400 block of Ruskin Avenue.
Detectives worked to piece together the relationships between the victims, determining that Green was an acquaintance of the other women killed that day, including twenty-one-year-old Ce'onta Cretter. The string of violence prompted a significant response from local law enforcement, who sought to understand the motive behind the multiple fatalities. For months, the investigation continued as officers interviewed witnesses and gathered evidence to identify the person responsible for Green's murder.
In December 2015, a significant breakthrough occurred in the case. The investigation led to the identification of a suspect, thirty-five-year-old Patrick Readye. On December 15, the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office issued warrants for Readye's arrest. He was taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with Green's death. A judge set his bond at $1 million, cash-only, reflecting the severity of the charges brought against him.
