In the spring of 2025, a grim discovery was made in the Carondelet neighborhood of Saint-Louis, Missouri, when 33-year-old Justin Wells was found deceased. He was a male victim of a shocking quadruple homicide that unfolded within an apartment on Schirmer Street. The initial call to authorities on May 18th was for a report of a deceased person, leading fire crews to the scene where they would uncover the extent of the tragedy.
Inside the residence, investigators found Wells along with
two other men and a woman, all of whom had been fatally shot. The scene was further complicated by the presence of firearms and narcotics, suggesting a complex and dangerous situation had preceded the violence. The other victims were later identified as 67-year-old Wendell Simmons, 34-year-old Ashley Cardwell, and 40-year-old Juanita Malkowski.
In the wake of the quadruple homicide, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department's Homicide Division took charge of the investigation. Authorities began the arduous task of piecing together the events that led to the four deaths. As of the initial reports, no arrests had been made, and police had not publicly identified any suspects. Law enforcement officials appealed to the public for assistance, urging anyone with information to come forward and help bring clarity to the violent end of four lives. Investigators were actively searching for witnesses and any available video footage that might shed light on the circumstances surrounding the deaths.