ST. LOUIS, MO  (July 2, 2026) — Walter Burton Jr., 22, was sentenced Thursday to 15 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections for his role in a May 2022 crash that killed five members of the Simmons family near Delmar Boulevard and Pendleton Avenue in the City's Academy neighborhood. Burton pleaded guilty to five counts of second-degree murder, one count of unlawful use of a weapon – subsection 9, one count of possession of a controlled substance, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon – subsection 11, one count of second-degree tampering with a motor vehicle, one count of leaving the scene of an accident, and five counts of stealing.

On May 6, 2022, St. Louis Metropolitan Police officers were conducting surveillance on a stolen Jeep Cherokee linked to numerous vehicle break-ins throughout the St. Louis area. Co-defendant Marshawn Stepney, 22, drove the Jeep, while Burton and co-defendant Jaylen Holland, 21, were passengers. Officers watched the Jeep weave through traffic at a high rate of speed before it sideswiped an Infiniti near Delmar Boulevard and Union Boulevard. As the Infiniti attempted to follow the Jeep, Burton fired shots from the Jeep. After officers deployed spike strips, Stepney drove east on Delmar, ran a red light at Pendleton Avenue, and crashed into a minivan carrying seven members of the Simmons family.

The crash killed Lahronda Simmons, 34, Luther Simmons, 44, Ephriam Simmons, 47, Anngelique Simmons, 52, and Takira Thompson, 11. Two other children suffered serious injuries requiring hospitalization. Officers found Burton and co-defendant Jaylen Holland inside the Jeep after the crash. Investigators recovered three firearms, methamphetamine, and numerous stolen items from the vehicle.

"Our hearts are with the Simmons family as they carry the unimaginable loss of five loved ones. No sentence can ever restore what was taken from them or erase the pain they have endured," said Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore. "This case is a reminder that accountability doesn't stop with the person behind the wheel. When people willingly participate in dangerous criminal conduct, they also share responsibility for the irreversible harm that follows."

Burton and Holland were both 17 years old at the time of the offenses and were certified to stand trial as adults.

Co-defendant Stepney, the driver of the Jeep, was sentenced to 25 years in prison in February 2026. Co-defendant Holland will be sentenced on August 6, 2026, following completion of a Sentencing Assessment Report (SAR).

Special Assistant Circuit Attorney Terrence O'Toole Sr., Special Assistant Circuit Attorney Terrence O'Toole Jr., and Assistant Circuit Attorney James Hackett prosecuted the case.

Burton's case number is 2422-CR00117. Stepney's case number is 2422-CR00220. Holland's case number is 2522-CR00711-01.