Old story but it was like yesterday to friends/family of victim

[gloomypenguin]

This murder happened on March 7, 2008


Defense attorneys representing a St. Louis man accused of murder say they want to know by March 16 if prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty against their client.

42-year-old Cleophus King faces a first degree murder charge in the March 2008 slaying of 38-year-old Assistant County Counselor Luke Meiners of University City.

Authorities say Meiners was stabbed and strangled inside a residence on Waterman Boulevard in the Central West End, before his body was then loaded into a vehicle and dumped into a wooded area near the Mississippi River in Venice, Illinois.

Police say Meiners was visiting the home on Waterman and was there voluntarily, although the details of his visit are not clear. Authorities have not said if Meiners was familiar with the suspects.

[...]

Officials believe robbery may have been the motive behind the killing. Meiners' credit cards were taken and his vehicle was missing.

Meiners worked as an attorney with the Counselor's office in Clayton for more than seven years. Prior to that, he was legal counsel for a St. Louis accounting firm.

http://www.ksdk.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=196571

About 8 years ago I had a very close friend hang himself after I dropped him off at home one night... he was buried near where I was living at the time with my family. I am rarely in that area but when I do go out there for some reason I always stop by his grave and bum him a cigarette (yes I know decaying bodies don't smoke anymore).

I was there yesterday and met a woman... Apparently Luke Meiners, the victim from the above case, is buried a few spots over from my friend. She told me his story and told me that one of his killers was one of the only two people being considered for the death penalty in Missouri right now.

I never see anyone else there when I am... it's not a huge cemetery... and I only stop by for literally a few minutes at a time every three or four months.... And I just happened to stop by exactly four years after Luke Meiners died and found a member of his family/friends who was open to sharing his story with me. While my friend's headstone was covered in fake flowers, McDonalds toys, an unopened bud light can, a headless doll (I have weird friends) and whatever else... Meiners' grave was bare. If I wasn't so broke I would have bought him some fake flowers or something before I left the area.... She said he didn't smoke... so there wasn't anything else on me I could have left for him.

[Rockin Ma]

His Obit. Lots of siblings:


Meiners, Luke Emmanuel Baptized into the Hope of Christ's Resurrection, Friday, March 7, 2008. Beloved son of Sue Meiners and the late William Meiners; dear brother of Bill (Lisa) Meiners, Ann Lehr, Laurie (Mike) Zimmerman, Mary (Mike) Clemens, Matt (Janet) Meiners, Tony Meiners, Mark Meiners and the late Michael Meiners; uncle of Erica, Monica, Samuel, Madeline, Rachel, Ely and Will; dear friend to many

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/stltoday/obituary.aspx?n=luke-emmanuel-meiners&pid=105624602

[Rockin Ma]

I don't know if I have the right guy. Ronald Johnson got life?

Sentence Summary Life
Active Offenses MURDER 2ND DEGREE

https://web.mo.gov/doc/offSearchWeb/searchOffender.do?docId=176795&method=getOffender

[Rockin Ma]

Hopefully not this one

Sentence Summary 14 Years (14, 14, 14, 14 CC)
Active Offenses ROBBERY 1ST DEGREE(2 CTS);ARMED CRIMINAL ACTION(2 CTS)

[gloomypenguin]

Ummm as I understand it, ronald johnson was younger and they originally questioned if he could even help in his own defense....

http://www.ksdk.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=214103


St Louis, MO (KSDK)-- One of two men charged in the March 2008 murder of Assistant St. Louis County Counselor Luke Meiners, of University City, admits his guilt and will be held alone in the city jail until he's sentenced in October.

Ronald Johnson, 22, of Normandy, in north St. Louis County, pleaded guilty earlier this month to first-degree murder, robbery, and armed criminal action after previously being hospitalized at a mental rehabilitation facility.

Johnson admitted his role in the slaying of Meiners who was killed inside a residence on Waterman Boulevard in the Central West End. Police say after the victim was stabbed and strangled, his body was loaded into a vehicle and dumped in a wooded area along the Mississippi River in Venice, Illinois. Johnson is slated to be sentenced to life in prison when he returns to court October 18th.

Officials say Johnson must be held alone in jail awaiting his punishment, have no physical contact with family members visiting, and be kept isolated from 43-year-old co-defendant Cleophus King of St Louis.

The older guy, Cleophus King, I think is supposed to be the one up for the death penalty. I really couldn't find much info on that whole part of the story besides this almost entirely unrelated article from the stl newspaper...

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/article_f7449724-3b7c-5560-bbd9-1d592ed03f8a.html


Since she was elected in 2001, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce has sought the death penalty in seven cases. In two of them, the defendants waived a jury trial in exchange for a bench trial and the prospect of life without parole. In another, the Missouri Supreme Court said the defendant, 17 at the time of the murder, was too young for the death penalty to be sought. In another, the defendant pleaded guilty in exchange for a life sentence. In another, charges were dropped when a key witness died.

That leaves Barnes and the pending case against Cleophus King, accused in the 2008 strangulation of Luke Meiners, a lawyer with the St. Louis County counselor's office.

I'm not sure who the woman I met was... She didn't look related. They didn't mention a girlfriend anywhere online that I saw but they rarely list a significant other unless it was really long term or they were married or something.... It was weird. I couldn't tell if she wanted to talk about it or not... it was awkward. I'm an atheist and I don't assume anyone else's beliefs but I almost wanted to say he's at peace now or he's in a better place or something comforting... all I could say was that I'm sure he was loved and that it gets easier. I don't believe in the death penalty, either... so... I was at a loss for words. She said he was essentially beaten to death.

[gloomypenguin]

I will be getting Mr Meiners some grave decorations pretty soon, though. He had sports stuff... football, bicycle, something else... on his headstone. Maybe I can find some lil plastic footballs on lil plastic sticks (for cakes?)... something better than fake plastic flowers... I have a way of picking things to leave at graves. I have oodles of dead friends (heroin/suicides) and one time I left a pomegranate because I didn't know how to eat one at the time and I heard later that it was one of that person's favorite foods. Weird... For the friend who I was visiting the other day I actually paid for most of his headstone. About 6 months after they finally got it in place (he died in the winter so they had to wait for softer ground) his headstone was missing. I asked his mom and she said someone drove over it... but I found out from the dead guy's younger brother it was repossessed. Yes, they repo headstones apparently. I paid $1k within a week of finding out to have it put back. That was crazy but I guess I understand... really, though, what else could they do with it? Grind it down, re-polish it, re-sell it and put someone else's info on it??