On a summer morning in Farmington, Missouri, the life of 24-year-old Dreven “Dre” Rawson was tragically cut short in what appears to have been a devastating mistake. On July 6, 2025, Rawson, a male known for his vibrant spirit and passion for basketball, was dropped off at an apartment complex on Hilltop Place Drive to visit a friend. In a fateful error, he knocked on the wrong door.
This simple mistake led to a fatal encounter that ended his life.
Inside the apartment Rawson mistakenly approached, lived 27-year-old Nathan S. Larson. According to police reports, after an exchange of words, Larson fired multiple shots at Rawson in the breezeway of the apartment building. A witness who had just dropped Rawson off heard the gunshots shortly after he got out of the car. Another resident reported hearing someone banging on a door and screaming for help. When officers arrived, they found Rawson unresponsive with multiple gunshot wounds. Despite life-saving efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy later revealed Rawson had been shot at least five times, with wounds to his back and head, suggesting he may have been trying to flee or was in a defensive position when he was killed.
Nathan S. Larson was quickly identified as the suspect and was taken into custody. He claimed that he believed Rawson was a threat and was trying to break into his apartment, where his wife and child were inside. However, investigators noted that the evidence suggested Rawson was attempting to get away when the fatal shots were fired. Larson was initially charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action.
Following an investigation and a review of the evidence, a grand jury indicted Larson on upgraded charges of first-degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action, and unlawful use of a weapon. The upgraded charge of first-degree murder carries the possibility of life in prison without parole. Larson is being held in the St. Francois County Jail on a $500,000 bond as he awaits legal proceedings for the shooting death of Dreven Rawson. The case has left Rawson's family and the community mourning a young life lost to a senseless act of violence.
