Suspect in Belleville area fatal shooting was upset over breakup, police say
The suspect in Saturday night’s fatal shooting was upset over a breakup from earlier in the day, Belleville Police said in an updated statement Tuesday.
According to Belleville detectives, Christopher D. Boyd, 25, of St. Louis, was stalking his ex-girlfriend and two of her friends throughout the evening leading up to the shooting in the 1700 block of Jamestown Road at the city limits between Belleville and Swansea.
One of the friends, 18-year-old Shenandoah Burton, died in the shooting. St. Clair County Coroner Calvin Dye Sr. said Burton was from Swansea, but the Belleville Police statement said she was from O’Fallon.
Boyd later died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound when authorities attempted to pull his car over as part of the homicide investigation.
Police from Belleville and Swansea responded to the scene of the fatal shooting around 11:19 p.m. Saturday. Burton was found dead in the middle of the road.
The Belleville Police Department Investigations Division said that it obtained surveillance video showing Burton walking up to Boyd's vehicle, and he “immediately” discharged a firearm, killing her.
Boyd’s ex-girlfriend and another friend, who are from Swansea and Fairview Heights, were inside a vehicle in an adjacent parking lot. Their car was also struck by gunfire. One of the women, who has not been identified, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was treated at the scene, according to the Belleville police statement.
Boyd left the scene in a silver Chevrolet Impala, and Belleville investigators broadcast an alert to law enforcement to help locate the vehicle.
The Perry County, Missouri, Sheriff’s Department attempted to pull Boyd’s car over early Sunday morning when it was found traveling southbound on Interstate 55.
“While still driving, Boyd took his own life via a self-inflicted gunshot wound,” Belleville police stated. Perry County Sheriff Jason Klaus said in a statement that deputies observed a single gunshot inside the vehicle. Boyd was the only occupant.
Belleville detectives stated that they believe Boyd was trying to flee to Alabama.
Authorities recovered a firearm from Boyd’s vehicle, which was sent to the Illinois State Police Forensic Science Laboratory for testing and comparison.
On Tuesday, the Belleville Police Department continued to ask anyone with information relevant to the investigation to contact the Investigations Division at 618-234-1212.
Belleville Police also investigated a separate fatal shooting on Monday night. A man with a gunshot wound was found near the entrance of a home in the 600 block of State Street. Responding officers and EMS rendered medical aid, but he died from his injuries.
A woman at the scene was taken into custody in that investigation. A spokesman for the St. Clair County state's attorney’s office did not immediately respond to BND questions Tuesday about possible criminal charges.
