Despite a rash of shootings over the last month, Sheriff Dave Marshak said Jefferson County remains a safe community.
“Any incident involving gun violence is concerning, and when several serious incidents occur within a relatively short period of time, I certainly understand why people take notice and become concerned,” Marshak said Monday. “At the same time, it is important to look at these incidents individually and in context.
“The recent shootings we have investigated have largely involved targeted violence or domestic and interpersonal disputes. They have not indicated a pattern of random violence or a broader threat to the community.”
Shootings on back-to-back days on July 24-25 increased the number of homicides in Jefferson County to five, which equals the number of homicides from last year. There were seven homicides in the county in 2024, and the Sheriff’s Office investigated one homicide in 2023.
Late Monday night, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office reported a mother and daughter who were each shot in the head July 25 in House Springs died in an area hospital.
Capt. Matt Moore identified the victims as Jessica Lashly, 38, and Jersey Greer, 17.
The man suspected of shooting the women and then himself, Robert Winkelman, 73, of House Springs, remained in critical condition on Tuesday, July 28, at an area hospital, the Sheriff’s Office reported. The department said it would seek upgraded criminal charges following the women’s deaths.
On Monday morning, Marshak said Sammy Gordon Jr., 24, was shot and killedon July 24 at a home in Cedar Hill, where another man also was shot.
The previous homicide victims were Gabbriana Boyster, 16, who was found shot to death in a Hillsboro-area home, and Marijon Ludwig, 46, who was found stabbed and shot to death in a Fenton-area home.
There have been at least 13 reported shooting incidents in the county this year; Marshak said random shootings in the county are rare.
“In the recent shooting incidents we have investigated, the alleged shooters and victims knew one another,” he said. “That is consistent with what we typically see in Jefferson County. Most shootings and homicides involve people who have some relationship or connection to each other, whether through a domestic relationship, family, acquaintances or an ongoing dispute.”
Recent shootings
There have been four shootings in Jefferson County since June 23.
■ Chase Hoofman, 20, of Festus was charged with two counts of first-degree assault, two counts of armed criminal action and one count of unlawful use of a weapon following a shooting on June 23 at the Cedar Hill River Access.
A witness told police that Hoofman, who appeared to be intoxicated, approached them and was talking about a “prior robbery incident” between a friend of Hoofman and a member of the group, and then he pointed a gun at them, the case’s probable-cause statement said.
The witness told Sheriff’s Office deputies that Hoofman fired two shots into the ground near the group, and the witness and two other people displayed their firearms to warn Hoofman to leave, the report said.
The witness said Hoofman continued to display his gun in a threatening manner, and the two other people fired warning shots at the ground. The witness said he fired his gun at Hoofman after Hoofman raised his gun and pointed it at the group, which included two children. Hoofman then ran from the scene, the report said.
Hoofman was later seen coming out of the woods with a gunshot wound. He allegedly told police he shot at two people in self-defense, according to the report.
■ On July 11, deputies were called to a home in the 7900 block of Tower Road north of Hillsboro after Boyster was found dead from an apparent gunshot wound to the head. Marshak said the shooting happened on July 10.
Three juveniles have been charged for their alleged connection to the shooting death.
One of the juveniles has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, unlawful use of a weapon, armed criminal action and abandonment of a corpse against one juvenile. Two other juveniles were charged with abandonment of a corpse.
The Sheriff’s Office reported that the three juveniles were believed to be at the home when Boyster was shot. Boyster was an incoming junior at Hillsboro High School.
■ Christopher Serrano, 41, was arrested and charged two days after he allegedly shot two men on July 24 at a home in the 7300 block of Lakeshore Drive in Cedar Hill.
Serrano was arrested July 26 after a foot pursuit in Cedar Hill. He has been charged with first-degree murder, first-degree armed criminal action and a second count of armed criminal action, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies called at about 6 p.m., and when they arrived, they found a Gordon, who lived at the home, dead. A 51-year-old man, who is related to the younger man but does not live at the home, was injured from an apparent gunshot wound, the Sheriff’s Office reported.
The older man was transported to an area hospital.
Serrano appeared to be the author of a long Facebook post that complained about neighbors on Lakeshore Drive, accused them of criminal acts, called for all elected officials in the county to resign and appeared to taunt the sheriff following the shooting.
“Investigators continue to learn more as the investigation continues, but it’s too early to speculate on the tipping point that led to the shooting,” Marshak said.
■ Robert Winkelman, 73, of House Springs was charged the day after he allegedly shot Lashley and Greer in the head on July 25 at a home on Doetzel Drive in House Springs. He then shot himself.
Winkelman has been charged with two counts of first-degree assault and two counts of armed criminal action, and a no-bond warrant has been issued for his arrest, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Winkelman allegedly shot Lashly in the head after confronting her about activities at a home on the street. He then allegedly shot Greer in the head after she attempted to provide first aid to her mother, according to the report.
Deputies learned Winkelman was outside his home across the street from the shooting. When they approached him, Winkelman shot himself in the head, the report said.
Investigators were told that Winkelman had ongoing frustrations regarding activities at the neighboring home, the Sheriff’s Office reported.
Previous shootings
■ The first reported homicide in Jefferson County this year was on Feb. 14 at a home in the 2600 block of Winding Valley Drive in the Jefferson County part of Fenton. Ludwig was found stabbed and shot to death in the home.
Billy Moman, 69, was suspected of killing Ludwig. It appeared Moman shot himself to death, and his body was found on Feb. 15 at the Holiday Inn Express, 1802 Gamel Cemetery Road, in Festus.
■ The first reported shooting in the county was on Feb. 8 when two people were injured after gunshots were fired Feb. 8 at an apartment in the 700 block of Lonedell Road in Arnold. No suspects had been reported as being arrested or charged with the shooting.
■ Ryan Scott Richardson, 30, who lives in the Jefferson County portion of Fenton, was charged with felony counts of armed criminal action and first-degree harassment and two misdemeanor counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child after he allegedly fired a gun on Feb. 15 during an altercation with a woman.
■ On March 12, Ronald Louis Lalk Jr., 44, of House Springs allegedly shot a woman and did not immediately allow her to leave his home in the 4000 block of Crest Drive, court records and the Sheriff’s Office said.
He was arrested following an hours-long standoff with Sheriff’s Office negotiators and SWAT members, and he has been charged with first-degree domestic assault, armed criminal action, second-degree kidnapping and unlawful use of a weapon, according to court documents.
■ On March 15, Aiden William Lebeau, 20, who lives south of De Soto, allegedly forced his way into a home in the 1100 block of Valley Drive in Festus and assaulted two people, according to the case’s probable-cause statement.
A third person in the home shot at Lebeau, which the officer wrote was in self-defense and defense of others. Lebeau retreated from the home after being shot at, but he also allegedly fired a gun toward the house while leaving. One of the bullets hit the home, the report said.
Lebeau has been charged with first-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon, first-degree burglary and two counts of armed criminal action, court records said.
■ On March 19, Scott James Bone Jr., 18, of Festus allegedly shot at an occupied home in the 1000 block of Menkhus Avenue, according to court documents. No injuries were reported from the shooting.
Bone has been charged with unlawful use of a weapon and armed criminal action, which are both felonies, court records said.
■ On May 3, Frank Richard Forshee, 65, who lives north of Hillsboro, allegedly shot a woman because her dog would not stop barking. The shooting occurred at a home in the 6900 block of Klondike Road north of Hillsboro, court documents show.
Forshee has been charged with felony first-degree domestic assault, armed criminal action and unlawful possession of a firearm.
■ On June 4, Lonnie Jerome Randall III, 25, of St. Louis allegedly shot at a group of people in the 5200 block of Lakewood Landing at the Lakewood Apartment complex in Imperial. No one was injured in the shooting, according to court records.
He has been charged with two felony counts of armed criminal action, felony unlawful use of a weapon shooting at people or a building and felony unlawful use of a weapon exhibiting, court documents show.
Marshak said gun ownership in Jefferson County is common, but most gun owners are responsible, law-abiding citizens who will never use a firearm to commit a crime.
“We should be careful not to confuse lawful gun ownership with criminal gun violence,” he said.