A couple from Texas faced charges this week in the deadly freeway shooting of a 17-year-old high school girl who was driving to the zoo for a Halloween celebration.
The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office in Missouri charged Willie Herndon, 42, with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in last week’s attack, which killed Alyssa Wilson, authorities said Monday.
Investigators said Taiya Herndon, his wife, faces a charge of hindering prosecution. Prosecuting attorney Melissa Price Smith told a news conference Monday that she drove her husband to an Illinois hotel 12 miles from St. Louis.
It’s unclear whether either of the two, from Arlington, Texas, has a lawyer. The state public defender’s office for the area did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Alyssa was on the precipice of adulthood and optimistic about the journey ahead, her father, Robert Hickman, said at the news conference.
“Alyssa was 17, excited about her life, excited about her future,” he said as he teared up.
The shooting happened around 7 p.m. Wednesday as Alyssa drove south on Interstate 170 in Overland, Missouri, just northwest of St. Louis, said Jack Abell, chief deputy commander of the region’s Major Case Squad. She was headed to Halloween festivities at the St. Louis Zoo, known as “Boo at the Zoo,” Abell said.
Security video shows Alyssa had just passed a white Buick Enclave stopped on the shoulder when the sound of a single round rang out, Abell told the news conference.
“A person exited the vehicle and stood outside for a short period of time,” he said. “There was a gunshot, got back in the vehicle. The vehicle turned its hazards off and continued on.”
Abell said the round went through the rear of the red Buick Encore Alyssa was driving. First responders found her with a gunshot wound and rushed her to Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, where she was pronounced dead.
The Herndons had no connection to the girl, Abell said.
Wilson was 60 days from turning 18, said Hickman, her father.
“We were getting ready to take our first family vacation together to go to Disney for her to see her favorite person in the world, Princess Tiana,” he said, referring to the character from the animated movie “The Princess and the Frog.”
“Unfortunately, she’s not going to get to do that anymore,” Hickman said. “This was a senseless act.”
Investigators tracked the couple by using security video of the shooting and automated license plate readers to follow that Buick, which had an out-of-state registration, Abell said.
Investigators kept the vehicle under surveillance for “long hours” before they saw the couple leave the hotel in Caseyville, where they were taken into custody Friday, he said.
A judge-approved search in Illinois turned up a gun, as well as “supporting evidence,” Abell said. Investigators were analyzing a shell casing found alongside the freeway in Overland.
Major Crimes Unit investigators interviewed Willie Herndon, he said, and came away with a better understanding of the crime.
“During the interview, Willie Herndon provided details regarding his involvement in the incident and additional information pertaining to possible ongoing investigations in other areas,” Abell said. “Those investigations are continuing as we speak.”
Price Smith, the region’s top prosecutor, said prosecutors filed charges in Missouri on Friday. The Major Case Squad said in a statement that the court set bail at $1 million for Willie Herndon and $500,000 for Taiya Herndon, to be posted in full.
Authorities said the two remain in custody while prosecutors await extradition to Missouri.
Inmate records for the St. Clair County Jail in Illinois show officials are holding Taiya Herndon on an out-of-state warrant with no bail. The records say she was booked Saturday.
No jail records for Willie Herndon were available.
About 20 Major Crimes Unit investigators worked the case, and law enforcement agencies far and wide helped them, authorities said.
“The case was solved within 36 hours due to the collaborative efforts of the FBI, ATF and the many law enforcement agencies that are in this room,” FBI St. Louis Assistant Special Agent in Charge Dave Herr said at Monday’s news conference.
Abell said he could not discuss a possible motive because investigators are still looking into cases that may be connected to the attack.
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