On the afternoon of Monday, February 5, 2024, a planned transaction involving marijuana cartridges turned violent in the parking lot of the Black Forest Apartments in St. Louis County, Missouri. Collin Anthony Courtwright, a 15-year-old male, arrived at the location on Chalet Hill Drive alongside 16-year-old Tyree Williams and 18-year-old Bryce Mers. The group had arranged to meet with Tyler Coleman, 19, and Zachary Hough, 18, ostensibly to conduct a drug deal initiated over Snapchat.
However, investigators later alleged that Mers had communicated his intent to rob Hough during the exchange.
As the interaction unfolded around 1:50 p.m., Williams and Mers remained outside while Courtwright entered a vehicle occupied by Coleman, Hough, and a 20-year-old man named Trevor Daley. During the exchange, Courtwright allegedly produced a firearm, pointed it at Hough, and announced a robbery. In response to the threat, Daley reportedly drew a weapon and fired, fatally striking both Courtwright and Williams. Mers was also wounded by gunfire during the chaotic confrontation but survived his injuries. Courtwright was pronounced dead at the scene, while Williams succumbed to his injuries after being transported to a hospital.
In the days and weeks following the double homicide, law enforcement arrested and charged multiple individuals connected to the incident. Tyler Coleman and Zachary Hough, both seniors at Oakville High School at the time, were charged with second-degree murder, armed criminal action, and delivery of a controlled substance. Bryce Mers faced charges of second-degree murder, armed criminal action, and first-degree attempted robbery for his role in orchestrating the events. Trevor Daley, identified as the shooter, was also charged in connection with the deaths.
The tragedy continued to affect the community and the families involved months later. In May 2024, Collin Courtwright's father, Samuel Starns, was arrested and charged with second-degree making a terrorist threat. Authorities alleged that Starns, upon learning that some of the individuals charged in his son's death were scheduled to participate in a high school graduation ceremony at Chaifetz Arena, left a threatening message with a police detective. Starns reportedly warned that the entire police force would be needed if the accused students walked across the stage, leading to his subsequent arrest.
