The death of 44-year-old Laniya Joyce White unfolded during a violent weekend in Cahokia Heights, Illinois, which began on the night of December 12, 2025. Officers from the Cahokia Heights Police Department were first called to the 3900 block of Walnut Street shortly after 9 p.m. on that Friday regarding a report of a man shot inside a vehicle. Upon arrival, they discovered 67-year-old Bruce A. Mason of Maryville suffering from a gunshot wound in a Toyota RAV4.
He was transported to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead. The Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis was immediately activated to assist with the homicide investigation, which quickly focused on the residence where Mason had been parked.
As the investigation continued into the following afternoon, Saturday, December 13, authorities executed a search warrant at the home on Walnut Street where Mason was known to visit. Inside the residence, investigators discovered the body of Laniya White, who had also been shot in the head. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives determined that the two victims were acquaintances, with Mason frequently parking his vehicle in the driveway of White’s home. The Major Case Squad characterized the double homicide as a targeted attack rather than a random act of violence, pursuing over 75 leads in the days following the discovery of the bodies.
By Tuesday, December 16, police had taken a person of interest into custody, identifying him as 54-year-old Shawn L. Williams from the Belleville area. The following day, the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office charged Williams with two counts of first-degree murder. During a subsequent court hearing, prosecutors revealed that cellphone data placed Williams at the scene for approximately three hours on the day of the shootings, contradicting his claim that he had only visited briefly to purchase narcotics. Williams, who was on probation for a prior domestic battery conviction, was ordered by a judge to remain held in the St. Clair County Jail pending trial.
