ST. LOUIS, MO (November 1, 2024) — Khamkhay Samatmanivong, 58, was sentenced Friday to 20 years in prison for the shooting death of Charles D. Keltz, 37, in the city’s Carondelet neighborhood on November 23, 2017.

In August, a jury convicted Samatmanivong of second-degree murder, first-degree burglary, first-degree robbery and three counts of armed criminal action. Keltz was fatally shot in the 7000 block of Minnesota Avenue; his body was found nearby in the 200 block of Quincy Street.

Samatmanivong was angry with Keltz’s girlfriend, to whom he had given money. He drove to their apartment and called Durrell Anderson and Maurice Whitt to help him get his money back. When Keltz came out of the apartment and told Samatmanivong the woman was not there,
Whitt beat him up, chased and shot him. After Whitt found the woman hiding in a closet, he dragged her out of the apartment by her hair. Samatmanivong forced her into his car and told her she was going to be killed.

Speaking through an interpreter, Samatmanivong said he did not understand why he is being held responsible for Keltz’s death. He plans to appeal.

Anderson pleaded guilty in 2023 to second-degree murder, armed criminal action, and kidnapping and was sentenced to 18 years in prison. Whitt is awaiting trial.

Samatmanivong’s case number in Missouri Case.net is 1822-CR02700-01. Whitt’s case number is 1822-CR02722-01.

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