Neighbors and gas station owner hope bigger reward will help solve Belleville murder
It’s been nearly a month since a Belleville gas station employee was fatally shot while working the night shift, and his killer remains at large.
Belleville Police Department Capt. Mark Heffernan said Thursday that investigators are hoping forensic evidence, technological tools and tips from witnesses or people who know the suspect will result in an arrest.
“Obviously, it remains a high priority for us,” he said. “We have leads, but we still need the assistance of the public. If anyone has information, I would encourage them to reach out to the Belleville Police Department so we can follow up.”
Some 18 investigators with the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis worked on the case for five days before turning it back over to Belleville police.
The “shocking” and “heart-wrenching” murder continues to weigh on the minds of people who live in the Ward 7 neighborhood, said Alderman Phil Elmore.
Many residents are regular customers of the Zephyr Xpress (ZX) gas station and convenience store at 420 Carlyle Ave. Some knew the victim, Doug Cimperman, who formerly worked at the local Shop ‘n Save before it became a Schnucks. Others went to school with him at Belleville East High School in the 1980s.
“He was an East End guy,” Elmore said. “I didn’t know him, but they say he was the nicest guy. He was the kind of cash-register clerk who said, ‘Hi, how’s it going? What can I get you?’ He was super helpful. ... The first reaction for a lot of people (after the shooting) was just complete sadness for him.”
In recent weeks, some of Cimperman’s co-workers, friends and neighbors have donated money to a GoFundMe campaign to increase the CrimeStoppers reward from $15,000 to $20,000 for information leading to an arrest.
Many heard shots fired
Cimperman, 51, of Belleville, died from multiple gunshot wounds just after 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 16. Investigators believe it was part of an armed robbery attempt.
Belleville police received multiple calls about shots being fired and found Cimperman lying in the ZX parking lot. He was pronounced dead at the scene, despite officers performing CPR and EMT personnel attempting other life-saving measures.
John McCarey, who lives on nearby Apple Tree Lane, said Thursday that he heard one shot, a pause and then three more shots in rapid succession.
“I could tell that it was fairly close because it was fairly loud,” said McCarey, a retired chemical technician. “But I couldn’t tell what direction it was coming from. ... It’s a real quiet neighborhood normally. I’ve lived here for 35 years.”
On Jan. 20, the Major Case Squad released surveillance video that showed a masked man rushing toward Cimperman, forcing him against a gas pump and later going into the convenience store and searching behind the counter with a gun in his hand.
The suspect is described as a black male, wearing a light-colored hooded sweatshirt and black pants. He apparently fled on foot after the shooting.
“My wife buys our gas at the ZX every week,” McCarey said. “We’ve been going there for years. She knew (Cimperman). They’re weren’t friends or anything, but he waited on her.”
GoFundMe adds to reward
Less than a week after the murder, CrimeStoppers offered a reward of up to $15,000 to anyone who called an anonymous tip line at 866-371-8477 with information leading to the arrest of a suspect. That included $10,000 from Midwest Petroleum Co., a St. Louis-based company that owns the ZX on Carlyle Avenue.
Midwest Human Resources Director Kristina Anderson also organized a GoFundMe campaign on behalf of Jeff Ziegler, the company’s vice president of finance.
The idea was to provide a way for Cimperman’s coworkers, friends, neighbors and others who had offered assistance to donate money and increase the reward to $20,000, according to Anderson and Elmore.
“As a company, we just want (the killer) caught,” Anderson said.
“There’s a number out there that will entice somebody to turn somebody in,” Elmore added. “Somebody knows this thug. ... It’s reassuring to know that people do care, and they do want justice for Mr. Cimperman.”
People had donated $625 of the $5,000 fundraising goal through GoFundMe as of Friday, but some Ward 7 residents also gave Elmore checks to send directly to CrimeStoppers.
Anderson declined to comment further on the murder, referring to a statement on the GoFundMe page.
“Doug was a kind and gentle man that cared for his teammates, loved birdwatching, and was considerate to everyone he met,” it reads. “We at Midwest Petroleum Company are deeply saddened that he was taken from all those who knew and loved him in such a terrible way.”
This story was originally published February 13, 2021 at 7:00 AM.
