Man Seeking to Avenge Sister’s Death Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter, Gets 10 Years in Prison
July 1, 2024

 ST. LOUIS, MO (July 01, 2024) — Jacorren Riley, 26, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the June 22, 2023, shooting death of Levi Henning, 21, in the 5500 block of Bartmer Avenue in the city’s West End neighborhood. Riley was sentenced Friday to ten years in prison by 22nd Circuit Court Judge Annette Llewellyn. Riley’s case had been set to go to trial this week on charges of first-degree murder and armed criminal action.


Riley ran after Henning, shot him and fled in a car rented by Riley’s girlfriend, charges said. Henning had been charged with fatally shooting Riley’s 18-year-old sister, Carieal Doss, on April 14, 2020, but was released in March of last year when the charges were dropped. During his plea, Riley told the judge that he had taken matters into his own hands because he was frustrated by the lack of justice for his sister.

 

Chief of Homicide Mary Pat Carl, who prosecuted the case, told the Court that Henning’s father acknowledged that both families had experienced “great pain” as a result of the killings.

 

“As this case shows, when individuals do not trust the justice system and seek revenge, it only leads to more violence and threatens the safety of our community,” said Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore.


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For Immediate Release

For more information contact:

Amber Raub

Public Information Officer

St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office

rauba@stlouiscao.org

314-589-6233 (office)

314-312-9912 (cell)

More News

May 24, 2025
ST. LOUIS, MO (May 23, 2025) — James Cody Jr., 30, was found guilty of second-degree murder and armed criminal action by a jury on Friday for the March 8, 2022, murder of Michael Kelly, 72, in the 3900 block of North 25th Street in the City’s Hyde Park neighborhood. The case stemmed from an ongoing landlord-tenant dispute. Mr. Kelly, the victim, was the landlord of a residence on the 4000 block of North 22nd Street, where Cody’s girlfriend, Deseray Rabb, had stopped paying rent. Despite a court-ordered eviction, Rabb refused to vacate the property. As the legal process unfolded, Cody, who was not listed on the lease but was the father of Rabb’s three children, began threatening Mr. Kelly. On the morning of the murder, surveillance footage captured Cody following Mr. Kelly as he drove to his office. Once parked, Cody was seen approaching the vehicle with a rifle and fatally shooting him. A Nissan Sentra rented under Rabb’s name was spotted in the area and later recovered with ballistic damage concealed by duct tape. Cody was arrested days later at a St. Louis County motel, where he and Rabb were staying with their children. The jury recommended a sentence of 25 years for second-degree murder and 10 years for armed criminal action. Cody’s sentencing is scheduled for June 27, 2025. Deseray Rabb, Cody’s girlfriend and co-defendant, was charged with accessory to first-degree murder and accessory to armed criminal action. She was acquitted by the jury. Tanja Engelhardt, Homicide Unit Chief, and Assistant Circuit Attorneys Timothy Wright and Emily Price prosecuted the case. “This was a ruthless, targeted killing over a lawful eviction. This senseless act of violence has destroyed multiple families. We will relentlessly prosecute those who choose to settle disputes with gun violence to the fullest extent of the law,” said St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore. Cody’s case number is 2322-CR01089.
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