A husband and wife from Texas have been arrested and charged in the killing of 17-year-old Alyssa Wilson, who was fatally shot while driving on Interstate 170 in St. Louis.
Willie Herndon, 43, has been charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. His wife, Taiya Herndon, 45, faces a charge of hindering prosecution, according to St. Louis County Prosecutor Melissa Price Smith.
Wilson was on her way to meet a friend at the St. Louis Zoo on October 14 when a suspect fired at least one shot into the rear of her vehicle, court documents state. The impact of the gunfire caused Wilson to become incapacitated, leading her vehicle to crash into the concrete median wall. She was transported to Barnes-Jewish Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
"Alyssa was 17, excited about her life, excited about her future," said Robert Hickman, Alyssa's father, at a press conference. "This was a senseless act."
Investigators have not released a motive for the attack and stated there is no known relationship between the Herndons and Wilson. Chief Deputy Cmdr. Jack Abell of the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis said Monday that the couple is not from Missouri.
Surveillance footage from the area captured a white Buick Enclave pulling over to the right shoulder of I-170. A suspect exited the passenger side of the vehicle, and a gunshot was subsequently heard, according to court records. Seconds later, the suspect returned to the vehicle, and it fled the scene. Wilson's vehicle is seen crashing shortly after the shooting.
Investigators identified the vehicle used in the shooting, including a distinctive decal, and tracked it to a nearby hotel where the Herndons were staying. Police found a vehicle with the same decal, but with a different license plate. Further investigation revealed that neither license plate belonged to the vehicle.
A firearm was recovered from the Herndons' hotel room. Taiya Herndon was reportedly seen opening the vehicle's rear hatch when police approached her on October 16. Willie Herndon emerged from the hotel area shortly after and fled when he saw law enforcement, according to court records.
Willie Herndon has also been charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Court documents indicate prior felony convictions for possession of a stolen vehicle, felony receiving stolen property, and felony burglary in separate cases. Taiya Herndon's hindering prosecution charge stems from allegations that she transported her husband to Illinois after the shooting.
Willie Herndon is being held on a $1 million cash bond, and Taiya Herndon is being held on a $500,000 cash-only bond. "No arrest can bring Alyssa back, but we hope this announcement represents a step toward accountability and justice," said Sgt. Michael Clymer, public information officer with the major case squad of greater St. Louis.
During the investigation into Wilson's shooting, authorities discovered that another vehicle had been shot at on October 11 following a similar incident where a white SUV pulled over. A shell casing recovered from that earlier scene shares the same manufacturer as the casing found at the scene of Wilson's killing, according to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Further testing is underway to determine if both casings originated from the same weapon.