ST. LOUIS, MO (July 25, 2025) — A St. Louis man was sentenced Friday to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of a convenience store worker in the city’s Dutchtown neighborhood.

John Phillips, 45, admitted to killing 62-year-old Mack Wagner on July 29, 2024, at the Kaiser Grand Mart, located on the 5000 block of South Grand Boulevard.

According to court records, Phillips entered the store as a passenger in a vehicle and began concealing items in his bag and pockets. Wagner approached him, told him to return the merchandise, and asked him to leave. During the confrontation, Phillips became angry and threatened to “shoot up the place.” As he exited the store, Wagner deployed pepper spray toward him. Phillips turned back, walked to the store’s entrance, and shot Wagner once in the abdomen. Wagner died at the scene.

The shooting was captured on surveillance video and witnessed by three store employees. Phillips fled the scene. He was later identified through video footage and facial recognition, and investigators recovered the firearm used in the shooting.

“This was a senseless and tragic act of violence,” said Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore. “Holding violent offenders accountable is essential to creating a higher level of public safety in the City of St. Louis. While no sentence can undo the harm caused, today’s outcome provides a measure of justice for the victim and his family.”

Phillips entered his guilty plea on July 25, 2025, ahead of his scheduled jury trial. He was sentenced to 25 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant Circuit Attorney Kerri Davis.

Case number: 2422-CR02272-01.