ST. LOUIS, MO  (July 9, 2026) — Marvin Byrd, 55, was sentenced Thursday to 17 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections for voluntary manslaughter and armed criminal action for the September 2025 shooting death of 60-year-old Dwayne Thomas in the City's Walnut Park East neighborhood.

On September 6, 2025, Byrd and Thomas, who shared a residence in the 5700 block of Henner Avenue, left home to buy supplies before attending a college football gathering. During the trip, the two argued about household finances. Byrd then shot Thomas in the street.

After the shooting, Byrd placed the firearm on the ground and waited in his vehicle for officers to arrive. An eyewitness saw Byrd standing in the street with the firearm while Thomas lay on the ground and told investigators Byrd was the only person he saw with a weapon. Doorbell camera footage captured the moments immediately after the shooting.

"Too often, arguments that should end in words end in gunfire," said Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore. "One impulsive decision took a life, devastated a family, and changed the course of multiple lives forever. Accountability is essential when someone chooses violence over restraint."

Byrd has prior felony convictions for unlawful use of a weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Assistant Circuit Attorney Michael Ware and Homicide Unit Deputy Chief Carolyn Chkautovich prosecuted the case.

The defendant's case number is 2522-CR02834-01.