A suspect has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the slaying of David Dorn, a retired St. Louis police captain who was gunned down while trying to protect his friend’s pawn shop from looters on June 2.
Stephan Cannon, 24, was identified after an investigation, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner said. Detectives obtained surveillance footage showing Cannon on the scene, Gardner said.
“Based upon the diligent work of the police department, collaboration with the Circuit Attorney’s Office, and the cooperation from the outraged community, we have issued charges for the tragic murder of” 77-year-old Dorn, she said in a statement.
Cannon was charged with robbery, burglary, armed criminal action, and felony possession of a firearm in addition to murder. He’s being held without bond.
According to court documents obtained by The Epoch Times, a television stolen from the shop was recovered at Cannon’s house; the serial number matched records from the pawn shop.
Video footage shows a Pontiac G6 pull up outside the shop and several people exit the vehicle before entering the store. Cannon and another man are seen running into the store; the other man passes several televisions to a third person, who places them inside the vehicle.
The footage showed Cannon leaving the store and walking toward the vehicle just before Dorn arrived. When the gunshots that killed Dorn were fired, Cannon was the only person standing at the corner.
“Multiple plumes of smoke are seen coming from the area where only the defendant was standing,” according to the probable cause statement. The investigator said in the statement later: “Once Dorn has been shot and falls to the ground, the defendant can be seen approaching the door to the pawn shop.”
Witnesses told police that after the shots were fired, someone yelled into the store to tell the others they could leave. All the subjects inside then fled through the front door.
Cannon admitted to being inside the store on the night of the murder and cutting his hair to try to alter his appearance. He was aware that his photograph was being circulated by law enforcement officials.
St. Louis Police Department officials said a second man was arrested in the same case.
Jimmie Robinson was charged with first-degree burglary, armed criminal action, and stealing. His bond was set at $30,000.
Dorn’s widow, St. Louis police Sgt. Ann Marie Dorn, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that Dorn was a friend of the shop’s owner, and often responded when the shop’s alarms went off.
