Jeremiah DeVante Latimore, a 22-year-old male from Jennings, Missouri, lost his life on the afternoon of March 8, 2024, in the Velda City area of North St. Louis County. The incident originated at a convenience store located in the 8300 block of Jennings Station Road, where Latimore became involved in an altercation with several other individuals who had arrived in separate vehicles.
Surveillance footage from the scene captured the moment the confrontation escalated, showing Latimore fleeing from the gas station in an attempt to escape the conflict.
As he ran from the scene, a suspect identified by authorities as Me’Kel Walker raised a firearm and aimed it in his direction. Walker allegedly fired across West Florissant Road, striking the fleeing man in the back. Despite sustaining the gunshot wound, Latimore managed to run a short distance further before collapsing near the intersection of West Florissant Avenue and Gaylord Drive. Police officers from Velda City responded to the shooting shortly after 1:30 p.m. and discovered him unresponsive; he was pronounced dead at the scene.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, two other individuals, Patrick Towns and Anthony Bell, arrived at the location where the victim lay. According to police reports and surveillance evidence, Towns approached the body and removed a firearm from Latimore's person before fleeing the scene in a vehicle driven by Bell. Both men were subsequently arrested and charged with tampering with physical evidence and stealing a firearm. Investigators utilized license plate information and phone records to track down Towns, who later offered to retrieve the stolen weapon for officers. Bell was apprehended at a local hospital and admitted to his role in driving away from the scene after the theft.
The investigation into the homicide continued for over a year before murder charges were filed. In August 2025, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged 19-year-old Me’Kel Walker with second-degree murder, armed criminal action, and unlawful use of a weapon. Detectives from the Bureau of Crimes Against Persons relied on the surveillance video that depicted Walker firing at the running victim to substantiate the charges. Walker was held on a $1 million cash-only bond as the legal proceedings commenced.
