ST. LOUIS, MO  (October 10, 2025) — Monte Henderson, 23, of Kirkwood, was sentenced to 21 years in prison for driving recklessly and causing a 2024 Valentine’s Day crash in downtown St. Louis that killed a mother and daughter who were in town to attend a concert.

Henderson drove a 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee eastbound on Olive Street at more than 70 miles per hour, ran multiple red lights, and struck a mother and daughter in a crosswalk. The crash killed Laticha Liz Bracero, 42, and her daughter, Alyssa Angel Cordova, 21, who were returning to their hotel after attending a concert.

Henderson’s reckless driving caused the crash at the intersection of Olive Street and North 18th Street. Surveillance footage from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department’s Real Time Crime Center showed Henderson running several red lights and weaving around moving cars before the impact.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department retrieved data from the Jeep’s airbag control module that showed the vehicle traveling 74 miles per hour when it entered the intersection.

Henderson pled guilty on July 8, 2025, to two counts of first-degree involuntary manslaughter and two counts of armed criminal action. He entered an open plea, allowing the court to decide his sentence.

“Reckless driving destroys lives. At 70 miles per hour, a car becomes a weapon, and the impact reaches far beyond the crash itself. Nothing can make this right, but this sentence hopefully delivers some solace to the loved ones of Laticha Bracero and Alyssa Cordova,” said St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore. “Two families are grieving today, one for the loss of a mother and daughter and another for the loss of a young man’s future. This case makes clear that we will aggressively prosecute those who choose to drive recklessly and imperil members of our community.”

Tanja Engelhardt, Homicide Unit Chief; Adam Field, Violent Crime Unit Supervisor; and Carolyn Chkautovich, Homicide Unit Deputy Chief, prosecuted the case.

The defendant’s case number is 2422-CR00434-01.