Keyon Jaqual Malcom, a 17-year-old boy from Parma, Missouri, was known to his loved ones as “Key” or “Lil Key.” Born on December 2, 2008, in Poplar Bluff, he was a member of the Mt. Calvary Church in Parma. Keyon was the son of Duane Thatch, Jr. and Qiana Malcom. He was part of a large, loving family that included his parents, grandparents, four sisters, and one brother.
He attended school in New Madrid County and was remembered fondly by a wide circle of aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.
The final moments of Keyon's life unfolded in the early morning hours of Sunday, September 27, 2026, in downtown Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Around 2 a.m., officers from the Cape Girardeau Police Department were patrolling the area when they heard multiple gunshots in the 0-100 block of North Main Street. Arriving at the scene, which was located near Themis Street, they found a chaotic scene with evidence markers, police cars, and blood on the ground. Officers discovered Keyon and an adult man suffering from gunshot wounds.
Keyon was rushed by ambulance to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead from his injuries. The adult victim found at the scene was taken to the hospital by a private vehicle. Soon after, hospital staff notified police that two more adult victims had arrived with gunshot wounds related to the same incident. The three surviving victims, two of whom were students at Southeast Missouri State University, were treated for their injuries and were reported to be recovering. Police later stated the shooting appeared to have stemmed from an altercation between two people.
The investigation was swiftly taken up by the Cape Girardeau/Bollinger County Major Case Squad. Investigators utilized surveillance footage from city and local business cameras and conducted witness interviews. By comparing images of the shooter from the videos to photos on social media, they identified 21-year-old Quazerious Murray of Cape Girardeau as the primary suspect. A witness also positively identified Murray as the shooter.
On September 29, 2026, the Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office issued a warrant for Murray's arrest with a bond set at $1 million. He was taken into custody and charged with one count of second-degree murder for Keyon's death, three counts of first-degree assault for the injuries to the other victims, and four counts of armed criminal action. Murray made his first court appearance on October 1, where a bond reduction hearing was scheduled for later that month.
A second man, 24-year-old Herman Jackson III, was also arrested in connection with the incident. According to court documents, police witnessed Jackson removing a bloody gun from the scene and attempting to hide it in his waistband. Jackson was arrested and charged with tampering with physical evidence in a felony prosecution. His bond was set at $500,000. After the two arrests, the Major Case Squad announced they were confident all suspects were in custody and disbanded their involvement, turning the continuing investigation over to the Cape Girardeau Police Department.
A visitation and funeral service for Keyon Malcom were held on Saturday, October 10, 2026, at Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden, Missouri, where family and friends gathered to mourn the profound loss of the young man.
The case against Quazerious Murray and Herman Jackson III is proceeding through the Cape Girardeau County court system. As of the latest reports in October 2026, the cases were in their initial stages. The Cape Girardeau Police Department has asked that anyone with further information contact them at 573-339-6621 or through their anonymous tip line at 573-339-6313.
