On the evening of April 30, 2024, 31-year-old DeMarko Henderson was shot and killed inside a residence in the 5100 block of Lexington Avenue in the Kingsway West neighborhood of St. Louis. DeMarko had returned to the home he shared with his father and brought his 11-year-old daughter with him. Their arrival reportedly woke the elder occupant, 49-year-old Tekeia Henderson, who became agitated and confronted the child as she gathered clothes.

A verbal dispute between father and son escalated into a physical fight. Witnesses said the girlfriend attempted to intervene. As DeMarko prepared to leave with his daughter, his father produced a firearm and shot him twice at close range, striking his head and chest. The 11-year-old ran to a neighbor to report that her grandfather had killed her father. Police found DeMarko deceased and arrested Tekeia outside the apartment. Prosecutors say forensic evidence and witness statements contradicted the elder Henderson’s initial claim that the shooting was accidental; the child and the girlfriend provided key testimony. DeMarko’s family described him as a loving father and a photographer and videographer.

Does anyone who knew DeMarko or his family have information that could help explain what led to this deadly confrontation?