ST. LOUIS, MO (February 21, 2025) — A jury found James Armstrong, 26, guilty of involuntary manslaughter, attempted robbery and armed criminal action for his role in the shooting death of Jerry Savage, 25, outside a gas station in the 4500 block of North Union Boulevard in the Mark Twain neighborhood.

On the afternoon of February 8, 2023, Savage was filling his truck with gasoline when Armstrong and several accomplices parked at a nearby pump. Armstrong remained in the car as his armed accomplices tried to rob Savage. After a brief struggle, Savage was shot multiple times and collapsed. The accomplices fled in the vehicle Armstrong was driving. After the shooting, another man in a nearby vehicle took two backpacks full of marijuana from Savage’s truck. A good Samaritan attempted CPR on Savage, but he died at a hospital hours later.

Armstrong was arrested on March 8, 2023, at Dismas House, a halfway house where he lived. He was on supervised release after pleading guilty to a federal drug charge in 2020.  He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 14, 2025.

The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant Circuit Attorney Gordon Ankney, Senior Counsel at the law firm of Thompson Coburn LLP, and Assistant Circuit Attorney Nicholas Hirst.

“Even though he did not pull the trigger, the defendant’s actions abetting Mr. Savage’s murder were cold, calculated and deadly,” said Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore. “The jury’s verdict ensures that he will bear the full weight of the law for his crime.”

Armstrong’s case number in Case.net is 2322-CR00445-01.

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