Ra’Niya Steward

Ra’Niya Steward was a 13-year-old Black girl from Alton, Illinois, described by the state’s attorney as a loving daughter, a bright student, and a young girl with a future ahead of her. Her life was cut short by a senseless act of violence that shook her community.

On the afternoon of Saturday, February 3, 2024, Ra’Niya was visiting relatives and standing on the front porch of their home in the 900 block of Highland Avenue. Shortly before 3 p.m., gunfire erupted. Ra’Niya was struck in the head by a stray bullet. First responders performed life-saving measures at the scene before she was rushed to an area hospital and later transferred to St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Investigators stated that they did not believe Ra’Niya was the intended target of the shooting. After fighting for her life for ten days, Ra’Niya died from her injuries on February 13, 2024.

The Alton Police Department led a complex investigation that ultimately identified five individuals responsible for the shooting. Prosecutors said the incident was the result of a gang rivalry. The man who orchestrated the attack, described as the “shot-caller,” had instructed two teenagers to open fire on the house because they believed a rival gang member was there. Initial charges of attempted murder against the suspects were upgraded to first-degree murder following Ra’Niya’s death.

The case resulted in the conviction of all five defendants for their roles in the murder. Keith A. Sanders, 26, the man identified as the “shot-caller” who directed the attack, was found guilty of first-degree murder and contributing to the criminal delinquency of a minor. He was sentenced to 50 years in prison. The two shooters, Vito Crowder, 19, and Dakota Perry, 19, both pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and were each sentenced to 35 years. Perry was 16 at the time of the crime.

A fourth defendant, Raysean M. Colvin, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder for providing the guns used in the shooting and received a 35-year prison sentence. The driver, 22-year-old Alvin Perry III, also pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to 23 years in prison after providing testimony for the prosecution as part of his plea agreement.

The case is now closed. In total, the five men were sentenced to a combined 178 years in prison. The final sentencing took place in August 2024. Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine stated, “Nothing we do in the criminal justice system can bring Ra’Niya back or erase the pain her family has endured. But we can hold those responsible accountable, and that is what we have done.”