Charges accuse man of murdering pregnant woman in front of 5 children in St. Louis
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - A man is facing two counts of murder and other felony charges in what police affidavits show was the heinous death of a pregnant woman slain in front of five young children in April in the Fairground Park neighborhood.
St. Louis prosecutors charged 28-year-old Vanier J. Jones on Friday with two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of armed criminal action in the deaths of Christina Lynn Rentchler and her unborn child.
Jones also faces a count of first-degree assault and a count of armed criminal action for shooting another victim who lived. He also faces five counts of first-degree child endangerment and five counts of armed criminal action, as authorities allege the crimes happened in front of five children, all less than 10 years old.
St. Louis Metropolitan Police said detectives had been investigating the deadly shooting since it happened on the afternoon of April 23 in the 4100 block of Farlin Avenue. Jones was arrested Thursday and is confined without the possibility of bond.
Police were called to the shooting and found Rentchler shot multiple times, including in the back of the head. Medical examiners arrived at the scene and discovered that the victim was in the second trimester of pregnancy.
The unborn child died as a result of the injuries to the mother, police said.
A second gunshot victim spoke to police at the hospital and told them Jones had been staying at the house. She told investigators he got angry and shot her, and she played dead.
As the second victim played dead, she heard Jones asking the children where their mother was, according to police.
Police said there were five children in the home when the shootings happened and their ages ranged from 2 to 10 years old. Some of the children were Rentchler’s, although charging documents did not specify how many.
Following his arrest, Jones provided a witness he was allegedly with when the crimes occurred. Police said the witness told officers they were not with Jones and that he confessed the crimes to them.
Jones was on parole for second-degree assault when the crimes occurred. An initial court appearance has not been set.
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