Tony Hager, 22, of Imperial has been charged with murder for allegedly shooting and killing a former Jefferson County student – Austin Vines, 25, of Fenton – on Sunday afternoon (Jan. 16). Vines’ dog also was shot and killed, authorities reported.
According to the probable-cause statement in the case, Hager and others went to a house in the 600 block of Greenhurst Court in Fenton to confront the occupants about an ongoing disagreement before the shooting occurred. Two witnesses who were not involved in the altercation said Hager shot Vines.
The St. Louis County Police got a call at 3:25 p.m. about the shooting, and Vines and his dog were found with gunshot wounds. Vines was transported to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries and died on Jan. 17, police reported.
Today, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Hager with second-degree murder, a class A felony punishable by 10 to 30 years or life in prison, and armed criminal action, an unclassified felony punishable by at least three years in prison.
Hager is being held in the Ozark County Jail on a $250,000 cash only bond.
Brad Snell, principal at Northwest High, said Vines attended the school off and on from 2012 to 2015 and then transferred to Festus High School.
Kevin Pope, a Festus R-6 School District spokesman, said Vines attended Festus High for two or three months until transferring to a different school.