In the early hours of a Sunday morning in St. Louis, a confrontation rooted in an online transaction took a fatal turn, ending the life of 27-year-old Kevin Anderson of Indianapolis. The tragic events unfolded around 2:30 a.m. on May 21, 2023, in a stairwell of the America's Best Value Inn located at 1100 Lumiere Place Boulevard, near the city's riverfront.
The dispute, which began over a transaction related to an escort website, escalated quickly.
Anderson followed a man, later identified as 20-year-old Arthur Ross, Jr. of St. Louis, from one of the motel rooms out to a car. It was there that Ross allegedly fired a gun through the car window, striking Anderson. Despite being wounded, Anderson managed to run a short distance before collapsing in the stairwell. Emergency services arrived to find him suffering from gunshot wounds to the chest. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, but his injuries proved to be fatal.
The investigation into Anderson's death led St. Louis police to Arthur Ross, Jr. Surveillance footage from the area was collected, and a witness identified Ross as the shooter in a photo lineup. Subsequently, Ross was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the shooting. At the time of his arrest, Ross had two other pending charges against him for unlawful possession of an illegal weapon and delivery of a controlled substance. He was denied bond in the murder case.
