On the weekend of May 3, 2014, violence erupted in the 2600 block of Burd Avenue in St. Louis, Missouri, claiming the life of a young man. Demetrius Griffin, a 20-year-old male, was walking down the street with his brother, Ezell Caves, when they were confronted by a neighbor. The quiet evening was shattered around 8:30 p.m. as gunfire rang out, targeting the two siblings. Griffin sustained multiple gunshot wounds, suffering injuries to his neck, jaw, thumb, and right arm.
His 16-year-old brother was also struck during the ambush, taking bullets to his ankles but surviving the attack. Emergency responders rushed Griffin to a nearby hospital, where he fought for his life until the following evening, when he succumbed to his injuries.
The man responsible for the shooting was identified as 43-year-old Richard Watson, a neighbor who lived on the same block. Following the incident, Watson surrendered to authorities on a Friday, days after the shooting. Investigators learned that the violence stemmed from a lingering dispute; Watson believed that Griffin and Caves had burglarized his home earlier that year in February. He claimed that following the burglary, the brothers had threatened him and his son. On the night of the shooting, Watson had been drinking vodka with friends when he saw the brothers walking nearby. He alleged that he believed one of them was reaching for a weapon, prompting him to open fire, though police testimony and evidence later indicated that neither Griffin nor his brother was armed at the time.
Watson was initially charged with first-degree murder, first-degree assault, and armed criminal action. During the legal proceedings, the defense argued that Watson acted in self-defense out of fear for his safety. However, witnesses testified that Watson stood over Griffin and continued to fire while the victim was already on the ground. In a recorded interview, Watson reportedly admitted that he 'should have left it alone' and that the continued shooting negated his self-defense claim.
The case concluded with a jury returning a verdict that acquitted Watson of the most serious murder charge. Instead, he was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action. Despite the severity of the loss of life, the court sentenced Watson to four years in prison for the manslaughter count and three years for the armed criminal action, with the terms ordered to be served concurrently. This resulted in a total sentence of four years for the killing of his neighbor.
