Levi Henning, 21, was shot dead outside his home in the West End neighborhood on Thursday. (Photo credit: Family)
Katie Kull
ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis man said Friday he took matters into his own hands last year after city prosecutors dropped charges against the man accused of shooting his sister.
He shot the man himself.
Jacorren Riley, 26, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 10 years in prison for shooting 21-year-old Levi Henning outside his home in the 5600 block of Bartmer Avenue last June.
Months earlier, prosecutors in St. Louis District Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner’s office had dismissed a murder charge against Henning in connection with the death of Riley’s sister, 18-year-old Carieal Doss.
It was one of thousands of cases dismissed during Gardner’s tenure because of understaffing and organizational deficiencies. Prosecutors had failed to turn over key evidence, and Riley’s mother learned of the dismissal from a television report, she said last year.
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“He killed my sister,” Riley said in court on Friday. “And I felt she didn’t get justice.”
On Friday, prosecutor Mary Pat Carl issued a statement on behalf of Henning’s father: “He bore no grudge against Riley.”
“Both families have suffered greatly in recent years,” said Carl.
Henning’s lawyer, David Mueller, said last year that he believed in his client’s innocence.
Jacorren Riley, right, joins his mother, Johnetta Doss, and her family in attending a memorial service for his sister, Carieal Doss, at Anthony’s Place in north St. Louis County, Friday, April 28, 2023. After charges were dropped against Levi Henning, a suspect in Carieal’s murder, Riley was charged with Henning’s murder. Photo by Robert Cohen, [email protected]
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
Doss died on April 14, 2020, after leaving her grandmother’s house to meet another teenager in a parking lot at 2838 Franklin Avenue in the Jeff-Vander-Lou neighborhood. She was found hours later with a gunshot wound to the back of the head.
Almost a year later, Henning was charged with first-degree murder, first-degree robbery and two counts of armed criminal action. But the case dragged on for years. Prosecutors, overwhelmed with a huge caseload, failed to release key evidence such as a DNA report, Facebook messages and other information from the police.
The charges were eventually dropped.
Gardner resigned in May 2023 and St. Louis District Attorney Gabe Gore took over. Doss’ mother said she hoped the case would be reopened and prosecutors said they were working on it.
But Henning was also involved in another robbery case. And last June, he was preparing to go to court, where prosecutors were planning to drop the charges, when a man wearing dark clothing showed up, chased Henning and shot him, police said.
A month later, Riley was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with Henning’s death.
He was due to appear in court next week, but pleaded guilty on Friday to a lesser charge.
Riley said he “passed out” with anger that day. He believed police had enough evidence to convict Henning of his sister’s murder and he wanted the case to go to trial.
But Judge Annette Llewellyn said Riley was gambling with his life. First-degree murder carries a life sentence without parole, and even now he could spend another 10 years in prison, away from his children and family.
“Was it worth it?” asked Llewellyn.
“No, ma’am,” Riley said. “If I could undo everything, I would.”
Johnetta Doss’ daughter Carieal was murdered more than three years ago. A month later, a man was arrested and charged. Now the prosecution has dropped the case. Video by Robert Cohen, [email protected]
