On New Year’s Day 2024, the quiet morning in Moline Acres, a municipality in St. Louis County, Missouri, was disrupted by the discovery of a deceased individual. Around 6:30 a.m., local law enforcement officers were dispatched to the intersection of Edgefield Drive and Hollis Drive following reports of a suspicious vehicle parked in the area. Upon their arrival, they approached the car and discovered an unresponsive adult male inside.
The man, later identified as 55-year-old Stacy Durham, had sustained a fatal gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene, marking a somber start to the year for the community.
Detectives from the St. Louis County Police Department’s Bureau of Crimes Against Persons were requested to lead the homicide investigation. Through the collection of evidence and witness statements, investigators began to piece together the final moments of the victim's life. It was determined that Durham had been shot and left in the vehicle, which had been abandoned at the intersection. The initial inquiry focused on tracing the victim's movements and identifying the last individuals who had been in his company prior to the discovery of his body.
Ten days after the incident, authorities announced a significant development in the case. On January 11, 2024, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office issued charges against 52-year-old Jermain Small. The suspect was charged with second-degree murder, armed criminal action, tampering with physical evidence in a felony prosecution, and unlawful possession of a firearm. According to court documents, Small was the last person seen with Durham. During police interviews, he reportedly admitted to driving the victim's vehicle to the location where it was found and fleeing the scene. Further investigation revealed that Small was a convicted felon with a prior federal conviction for drug distribution, prohibiting him from possessing firearms. He was subsequently held on a $250,000 cash-only bond as the legal proceedings commenced.
