A Jefferson County jury has found Maleak R. Brown, 23, guilty of four felonies for shooting and killing Marcus Lorenzo James of Festus. James was 22.
Brown had recent addresses in Barnhart and Centreville, Ill., authorities reported.
On Aug. 9, the jury found Brown guilty of unlawful use of a weapon, a class A felony punishable by 10 to 30 years or life in prison; voluntary manslaughter, a class B felony that carries a penalty of five to 15 years in prison; and two counts of armed criminal action, each one an unclassified felony punishable by a minimum of three years in prison.
Brown is scheduled to be sentenced by Jefferson County Div. 4 Circuit Judge Brenda Stacey on Oct. 19.
Brown shot and killed James on June 15, 2022, at an apartment in the 1500 block of Westvale Drive in Festus.
Witnesses told officers that Brown and James were involved in a physical altercation in a downstairs apartment at the complex, and then James went to his apartment upstairs. In the meantime, Brown went to his car and retrieved a firearm and allegedly went to James’ apartment and tried to get inside but could not and fired through the door five times, striking James and killing him, the probable-cause statement in the case said.
Jefferson County assistant prosecuting attorney Courtney Goodwin is handling the case.