On June 1, 2017, a shooting near Lillian Avenue and Beacon Avenue in St. Louis’ Walnut Park West neighborhood killed 37-year-old Julian Hayes. Hayes was sitting in a parked car with 24-year-old Jessica Garth and 27-year-old Derrick Irving when a gunman approached and opened fire. All three adults died. Two young children were in the vehicle; a 7-year-old girl was critically wounded by a gunshot to the head but survived, and her 5-year-old sister was unharmed after being shielded by the older child.

Police identified the suspect as Jerome Leon Buress Jr., a St. Louis resident. Prosecutors said Buress walked up to the car, shot Garth and Irving in front of their daughters, then shot Hayes as he attempted to flee. Buress surrendered later in June 2017, was tried in October 2018, and in January 2019 was sentenced to life without parole after jurors convicted him of multiple felonies including two counts of first-degree murder and one count of second-degree murder.

Does anyone have information about the victims’ time in Walnut Park West that could help shed light on what led to this attack?