A Wednesday evening trip to a neighborhood grocery store in north St. Louis County turned fatal for 23-year-old Kardaye Moore. On September 7, 2022, Moore was inside the Beverly Hills Supermarket when he was approached by two men. The incident, which was captured on surveillance video, began with one of the men, identified as Marcel Payne, walking up behind Moore and punching him in the head.
As Moore attempted to defend himself and the altercation moved through the store, the second
man, identified as Warren Smith Jr., drew a firearm. Smith fired multiple shots, striking Moore in the chest and stomach. The gunfire sent other shoppers, including a young child, scrambling for safety as bullets shattered the glass door. Moore was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The investigation into the shooting quickly led to the identification of the two men involved. Both Warren Smith Jr. and Marcel Payne were arrested and subsequently charged with second-degree murder and other felonies. Smith was held on a $1.5 million bond, while Payne's bond was set at $1 million. The motive for the attack was not immediately made public.
In the days following the deadly shooting, family and friends of Kardaye Moore gathered outside the supermarket to hold a vigil. His mother described him as a loyal and dependable person who loved his family and friends deeply. She acknowledged that her son had recently been released from jail on assault and unlawful use of a weapon charges but said that the experience had matured him and that he was looking forward to getting a job and starting a family.
