Crime
Curtis Sills Charged with First-Degree Murder in Deadly Jeff-Vander-Lou Shooting of Shaun Mooring
ST. LOUIS, MO – A 44-year-old man has been criminally charged in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred early Monday morning in the Jeff-Vander-Lou neighborhood, according to authorities.
The St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office on Tuesday filed charges against Curtis Levoy Sills, including first-degree murder, armed criminal action, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in the killing of 41-year-old Shaun Mooring.
Sills is currently being held at the St. Louis City Justice Center without bond.
A date for his initial court appearance has not yet been scheduled.
According to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, officers responded to the 3400 block of North Market Street around 5:00 a.m. Monday after receiving a call for a shooting.
Upon arrival, officers found Mooring lying in the street with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Detectives utilized surveillance video obtained through the city’s Real Time Crime Center, which showed a brown Honda sedan in the vicinity of the shooting around the time of the incident.
Investigators tracked the vehicle and identified Sills as the driver.
He was taken into custody without incident.
Police reported discovering Mooring’s wallet discarded near the vehicle and blood stains both on the vehicle and on Sills’ shoes.
A 9mm handgun, consistent with the shell casings found at the scene, was recovered concealed under the hood of the vehicle.
Sills reportedly admitted to owning both the car and the firearm and confirmed his presence at the crime scene, though his statements to police were inconsistent.
Court documents also show that Sills has a prior felony conviction for drug trafficking, which legally prohibits him from possessing a firearm.
The investigation remains active, and anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department or submit tips anonymously through CrimeStoppers at 1-866-371-TIPS (8477).
Crime
2 Christian County deputies killed in the line of duty, suspect Richard Bird also dead
The name of the second deputy has not yet been publicly released pending family notification.
Christian County, Mo. — A massive multi-agency manhunt in Christian County has ended with the suspect dead, but not before claiming the lives of two sheriff’s deputies and injuring two others.
According to Brad Cole, the suspect, Richard Bird, was shot and killed by law enforcement officers early Tuesday morning near the roundabout on State Highway 160 close to Reeds Spring.
Authorities confirmed that two deputies with the Christian County Sheriff’s Office were killed in the line of duty during the operation.
One of the fallen deputies has been identified as 30-year-old Deputy Gabriel Ramirez.
The name of the second deputy has not yet been publicly released pending family notification.
In addition to the two fatalities, one Christian County deputy and one deputy from the Webster County Sheriff’s Office were wounded during the exchange of gunfire.
Sheriff Cole stated that their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
The violence began around 4:00 p.m. Monday when a Christian County deputy conducted a traffic stop near the intersection of State Highway 160 and Route HH, south of Highlandville.
During that stop, Deputy Ramirez was fatally shot, prompting a Blue Alert and a large-scale manhunt for Bird.
After Bird’s vehicle was located abandoned, officers from across the Ozarks converged on the area. Sheriff Cole said approximately 100 officers, deputies, and state troopers participated in the search effort, along with federal partners including the U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI, and the ATF.
The search continued for hours into the early morning. A helicopter operated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol detected a moving heat signature in a wooded area near Reeds Spring. As deputies approached the location, Bird reportedly opened fire. Law enforcement officers returned fire, fatally striking the suspect and ending the threat.
While the suspect was neutralized, the outcome has left the community in mourning. Two deputies lost their lives in the line of duty, and two others were injured.
Sheriff Cole described the loss as devastating for the department and the broader community. Families of the fallen deputies are now grieving, and colleagues across multiple agencies are reflecting on the risks law enforcement officers face daily.
The investigation into the incident remains ongoing as authorities continue to process the scene and review the circumstances surrounding the shootings.