Three teenagers are facing charges in relation to the fatal shooting of a man from Dupo, Illinois.
Bryce Rhodes, an 18-year-old resident of Festus, Missouri, is facing charges of unlawfully selling a firearm, possessing a firearm without FOID, and obstructing justice. Interestingly, Bryce happens to be the son of the victim, Cody Rhodes.
A 16-year-old boy named Kingston Todd from Nixa, Missouri, is facing charges of first-degree murder, possession of a firearm without a FOID, and forgery.
A 15-year-old teenager from Belleville, who remains anonymous, is facing charges of first-degree murder, possession of a firearm without FOID, and aggravated discharge of a firearm. After receiving reports from witnesses who claimed to have seen a boy matching his description fleeing the site of the shooting, law enforcement took him into custody. Upon locating the teenager at a residence, authorities discovered evidence linking him to the crime, subsequently confirming his status as a suspect in the case.
The police currently have all three of the suspects in custody.
During a press conference on Friday afternoon, Sgt. Justin Biggs from the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis revealed that Todd and an unidentified 15-year-old made an unsuccessful attempt to buy a gun from Bryce Rhodes using fake currency.
“During the transaction, the suspects brandished additional firearms, leading to gunfire that resulted in the death of Cody Rhodes,” he said.
Court documents reveal that Bryce Rhodes sold a Glock .40 semi-automatic handgun to a minor, identified as Todd. The documents also indicate that Rhodes attempted to hide evidence by taking a gun from a crime scene and placing it in a backpack.
According to court documents, Todd is accused of shooting Cody Rhodes, which ultimately led to his demise.