ST. LOUIS, MO (November 19, 2024) — Davon Griffin-Curry, 20, was sentenced Monday to life in prison plus five years to be served consecutively for fatally shooting Rickey Jemore Lathan, 35, on July 12, 2022, in the 2500 block of Semple Avenue in the City’s Wells-Goodfellow neighborhood.

The night of the shooting, Lathan was in his front yard with his 10-year-old son and five-year-old daughter setting off fireworks at about 11 p.m. A bottle rocket shot across Semple and hit the house of Griffin-Curry’s grandparents. His grandfather, Ronald Curry Sr., became angry, rushed out of the house and confronted Lathan.

As they were arguing, Devon Griffin-Curry and his younger brother, Devin Griffin-Curry, ran out of their grandfather’s house, firing 9 mm weapons simultaneously. Lathan was hit 10 times and died at the scene. Devin Griffin-Curry, who was 16 at the time of the shooting, was certified to stand trial as an adult. He was convicted of second-degree murder and armed criminal action in April and sentenced to 22 years in prison.

Both brothers’ cases were prosecuted by Special Assistant Circuit Attorneys Hal Goldsmith and Jennifer Szczucinski, both of whom are Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Office of U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming.

The defendant’s case number is 2322-CR01719.

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