In the North Hampton neighborhood of St. Louis, a grim discovery was made on the evening of May 15, 2025, that would unravel a violent end to a man's life. Firefighters, responding to a structure fire at an apartment in the 5000 block of Pernod Avenue around 5:40 p.m., entered the smoke-filled residence to battle the flames and search for any occupants.
Inside, they found 36-year-old William Wills.
Initially, it appeared the man, who was found in the front room, was a victim of the fire, suffering from severe burns. As firefighters pulled him from the burning apartment and began administering life-saving measures, they made a startling discovery that shifted the nature of the incident from a tragic accident to a criminal investigation. Wills had been shot multiple times. He was rushed to a local hospital but ultimately succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
The discovery of gunshot wounds immediately turned the scene over to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Homicide detectives were called in to take charge of the investigation, believing the shooting and the subsequent fire were connected. The authorities have not released information regarding a possible motive or any potential suspects in the killing of William Wills. The investigation into the circumstances that led to the fatal shooting and the fire that followed remains active and ongoing, leaving a community to mourn and await answers.
