In the Central West End neighborhood of St. Louis, a dispute on May 3, 2023, tragically escalated, leading to the death of 29-year-old Miguel Alexander Johnson. The incident began inside an apartment in the 4400 block of Forest Park Parkway, where Johnson was confronted by two men over personal matters. The argument spilled out into the open, with Johnson fleeing the apartment.
The two men pursued Johnson, chasing him onto the sidewalk near the intersection of North Taylor and Laclede
avenues. It was there, in the afternoon hours, that Johnson was shot multiple times. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but succumbed to his injuries less than an hour later. Witnesses at the scene were able to provide police with descriptions of the two suspects, which led to their swift apprehension after a short foot chase. The two men, identified as Ta'Shaun L. Patterson and Syntrell Howard, were both armed at the time of their arrest.
Following the investigation, both men faced charges in connection with Johnson's murder. Ta'Shaun L. Patterson, 23, ultimately pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and armed criminal action. As part of a plea agreement, he was sentenced to serve 15 years in prison for the murder, with an additional three years to be served consecutively for the armed criminal action charge. The other suspect, 22-year-old Syntrell Howard, is facing charges of first-degree murder, armed criminal action, and unlawful possession of a gun. His trial was pending.
