ST. LOUIS, MO  (October 28, 2025) — Anwar Shands, 43, was found guilty Tuesday of first-degree murder and armed criminal action for killing his cousin in the City’s Lewis Place neighborhood.

Judge Lynne R. Perkins presided over the bench trial and found Shands guilty of shooting 45-year-old Mallam Amir Tifah on December 27, 2020, in the 4500 block of Newberry Terrace.

Officers with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department responded to a report of a shooting and found Tifah lying face down and unresponsive. The medical examiner determined that Tifah was shot nine times, with most rounds entering through his back.

Witnesses told police they saw Shands fire multiple shots before fleeing into a nearby home. They also reported that he wore a red hoodie during the shooting and was no longer wearing it when he returned home shortly afterward. Officers later found a burned red hoodie behind a nearby residence.

Tifah called 911 after the first shots were fired. While he was on the line with the dispatcher, the call recorded additional gunfire as Shands shot him in the back. The incident was recorded and heard by the dispatcher in real time.

“Every homicide leaves a lasting impact on families and neighborhoods,” said St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore. “Our office remains committed to holding violent offenders accountable and strengthening the safety and trust of the St. Louis community.”

Special Assistant Circuit Attorney Gordon Ankey and Assistant Circuit Attorney Emily K. Price prosecuted the case.

Sentencing is scheduled for December 29, 2025. The defendant’s case number is 2022-CR02142-01.