Swansea police release name of Sunday morning homicide victim

Officials have released the name of the victim in the early morning homicide that occurred in the 2100 block of Caseyville Avenue in Swansea.

Police were dispatched to the scene at 4:08 a.m. Bernard Oranika, 32, was pronounced dead at 4:55 a.m., according to St. Clair County Coroner Calvin Dye Sr. Oranika’s last known address was in the 5900 block of Laura Avenue in St. Louis.

A Sunday afternoon news release from Swansea police stated that detectives know the identity of the suspect, who they believe was acquainted with the victim. They are not seeking any additional suspects, according to the release.

No further information was available, including whether police know a motive for the homicide and how police identified their suspect.

Police did not indicate whether they had made an arrest. The release stated that additional information would be released as it becomes available.

This story was originally published June 22, 2025 at 3:47 PM.