In the early evening of a summer day in St. Louis, tragedy struck at a local convenience store, leaving one man dead and another fighting for his life. The incident unfolded on June 21, 2022, at the Crown Food Mart gas station located on North Kingshighway Boulevard. Brandon Murphy, a 28-year-old male, was fatally shot while another man in his 20s sustained critical injuries.
Authorities arrived at the scene around 6:10 p.m. to find Murphy deceased inside a sedan.
The second victim had already been transported to a hospital by a private vehicle before police arrived. The shooting shocked the community and left friends and family to mourn the sudden and violent loss of a young life. An obituary for Brandon Murphy announced his passing and provided details for a visitation for loved ones to pay their respects.
For over three years, the case remained under investigation. Then, a significant breakthrough occurred in August 2025. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department announced the arrest of 22-year-old Malachi Ezell in connection with the deadly shooting. Ezell was subsequently charged with first-degree murder and first-degree assault for his alleged role in the incident that claimed Murphy's life and severely wounded another.
