On the morning of June 22, 2023, 21-year-old Levi Henning was fatally shot outside his home in the West End neighborhood of St. Louis, Missouri. The incident occurred around 8:20 a.m. in the 5600 block of Bartmer Avenue as Henning was leaving his residence to attend a court hearing. He was reportedly en route to the courthouse for a hearing regarding a 2018 robbery charge, which his attorney believed was on the verge of being dismissed. Police arrived to find Henning suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to his head and torso, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities later revealed that Henning appeared to have been targeted in an act of retaliation. He had previously been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the April 2020 death of 18-year-old Carieal Doss. However, those charges were dropped in March 2023 by the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office due to issues involving mishandled evidence and the discovery of information pointing to other potential suspects. Henning’s defense attorney stated that his client had maintained his innocence and was optimistic about moving forward with his life, planning to work in the trades with his father.
Following an investigation, police arrested 26-year-old Jacorren Riley, the brother of Carieal Doss, in July 2023. Prosecutors alleged that Riley had 'hunted' Henning, chasing him down and shooting him execution-style as he attempted to flee. Riley was initially charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. During court proceedings, it was revealed that Riley acted out of a desire for revenge, believing Henning was responsible for his sister's death despite the dismissal of charges.
In July 2024, Jacorren Riley pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of voluntary manslaughter, avoiding a trial that had been scheduled for that week. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison by Circuit Judge Annette Llewellyn. During the sentencing, Riley expressed remorse to the court but admitted he felt he needed to seek justice for his sister at the time. Prosecutors noted that Henning's father acknowledged the immense pain suffered by both families involved in the tragedy.
