This Weekend’s Killin’

October 15th, 2007

Man, 19, is found slain; is city’s 99th homicide
10/15/2007

The city’s 99th homicide of the year claimed Daryl White, 19, of the 1400 block of Hamilton Avenue, police said.

White was shot “numerous times” early Sunday morning, police said. He was found dead about 2:30 a.m. Sunday on the sidewalk in the 5700 block of Labadie Avenue. Police had no suspects in custody Sunday.

St. Louis had 129 homicides in 2006.

Police: Granite City teens killed man over a beer
10/16/2007

GRANITE CITY — Two teenagers from Granite City have been charged in the death of a homeless man who police say was beaten up over a beer last week.

Authorities say the teens, identified as 17-year-old Joseph L. Raines and 18-year-old Brandon Bouck, accosted the man after he refused to buy them beer at a local liquor store, then beat him up. After he bought himself a beer a while later, the teens attacked him again and took his beer, police said.

The man, Thomas Muffler, was known among Granite City’s homeless circles — he had no official residence and often stayed with friends or slept on the street. Police spent many days retracing his tale.

Police said he told friends and acquaintances about the Oct. 7 attack, but seemed to shrug it off. He lingered for several days and eventually collapsed Friday night in a residential driveway.

An autopsy showed he died of internal injuries that prosecutors say stemmed from the beating.

Raines and Bouck were arrested early Monday morning and today prosecutors charged each teen with two counts of murder and one count of robbery. Bond was set for each teen at $500,000.

“To do this, just because they wanted beer, it’s really just disgusting. Really appalling,” said Granite City Police Chief Rich Miller. “The entire fight happened over one beer.”