In a tragic event on May 5, 2012, in St. Louis, Missouri, 22-year-old Breiana Ray was killed in her apartment. Her ex-boyfriend, Eric Lawson, fatally shot both Breiana and her 50-year-old mother, Gwendolyn Ray, in the head. Following the shootings, Lawson set two fires within the apartment and locked the front door as he left.
The fire tragically led to the death of Breiana's 10-month-old son with Lawson, Aiden, who died from smoke inhalation.
Firefighters discovered the infant in his deceased mother's arms. Another child in the apartment, Breiana's 3-year-old daughter, was rescued from the blaze but suffered from smoke inhalation. After committing these acts, Lawson returned to his own home, changed his clothes, and was reportedly 'sexting' a woman while first responders were at the scene of the crime.
The case against Eric Lawson took nine years to go to trial, facing delays due to issues with jury selection and the COVID-19 pandemic. In May 2021, a jury found Lawson guilty of three counts of first-degree murder. Although the death penalty was a possibility, the jury recommended a sentence of life in prison. A St. Louis Circuit Judge accepted the jury's recommendation, and Lawson was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Family members of the victims expressed that they were satisfied with the verdict and felt that justice had been served after a long and difficult nine years.
