On the morning of March 9, 2024, a violent series of events unfolded in the Forest Park Southeast neighborhood of Saint Louis, Missouri, resulting in the death of 36-year-old White female Chelsea Lee Case. The incident began when police officers responded to reports of a shooting at approximately 1:00 a.m. near the intersection of Arco and South Newstead avenues, an area located just north of The Grove entertainment district.
Upon arrival, first responders discovered a 42-year-old man identified as Harris Kratzer lying on the sidewalk with a gunshot wound to his chest. He was immediately transported to a local hospital but ultimately succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
As the investigation into the initial shooting continued, authorities were led to a residence in the 4400 block of Gibson Avenue, situated roughly one block north of where Kratzer was found. Inside the home, officers discovered the body of Chelsea Lee Case. She had sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the head and was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators indicated that both victims resided on the same block where the woman was found, though the exact nature of their relationship or the events leading up to the shootings were not immediately clarified in public reports.
Born in Saint Louis, Chelsea was a mother to a son and was described by her family as a devoted Christian with a vibrant sense of humor and charismatic leadership qualities. She was survived by her parents, son, and siblings. At the time of the initial reporting and subsequent updates throughout the investigation, the Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department had not announced any arrests or publicly named any suspects in connection with the double homicide. Detectives continued to appeal to the community for leads, urging anyone with information about the violence that claimed the lives of both Case and Kratzer to contact CrimeStoppers.
