In the late afternoon of January 29, 1997, a dedicated officer, Detective Willie Neal Jr., a 29-year-old male, was involved in a fatal incident in St. Louis, Missouri. A seven-year veteran of the St. Louis County Police Department, Detective Neal was participating in an undercover drug buy at approximately 4:00 PM in a liquor store parking lot located in the 5900 block of Natural Bridge Avenue.
During the undercover operation, Detective Neal and his partner were meeting with a suspect
for a planned drug transaction. The situation escalated when the suspect, later identified as Collis Lee, brandished a firearm and pointed it at Detective Neal. In response to the threat, Detective Neal's partner discharged his weapon in an attempt to protect his fellow officer. Tragically, one of the bullets inadvertently struck Detective Neal. He collapsed at the scene and was pronounced dead shortly after.
Following the shooting, the suspect, Collis Lee, who was 20 years old at the time, fled the scene with a female companion. A manhunt was initiated, and Lee was apprehended in the early hours of the following morning at a cousin's house. He was subsequently charged with felony murder. This charge is applicable when a death occurs during the commission of a serious crime, even if the suspect did not directly cause the death. Ultimately, Collis Lee pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced to eight years in prison for his role in the events that led to the death of Detective Willie Neal Jr.
