On June 8, 2017, 35-year-old Gentrail Wafford was shot in the 1400 block of Desoto in Saint Louis during a robbery attempt. Wafford reportedly drew a weapon while defending another man, Roderick Silinzy, and was struck multiple times in the upper torso. Emergency responders took him to a hospital, where he died of his wounds.

Investigators identified two suspects, Terrance Williams and Brandon Cross. Williams was charged in July 2017 with first-degree murder, first-degree assault, and two counts of armed criminal action; Cross was charged in April 2018 with first-degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action, and unlawful possession of a firearm. Prosecutors said an argument over a female acquaintance may have motivated the shooting. Williams went to trial and claimed self-defense; a jury acquitted him of all charges in January 2020.

The case was marked by witness intimidation. Silinzy, who had been cooperating with prosecutors, was killed in May 2018. Authorities later charged others accused of trying to dissuade witnesses; one defendant, Larry Strickland, pleaded guilty to witness tampering and received 18 months time served. Did anyone in the neighborhood see the events on Desoto that night or know more about the people involved?