A St. Louis man faced with charges from a 2023 homicide case has taken a plea deal, foregoing trial by admitting guilt to lesser charges of gun possession. Kevin Larkin, 35, was given a 13-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to two counts of illegal firearm possession, according to records from the St. Louis Circuit Court.
This turn of events allows Larkin to avoid trial for the more severe charges of second-degree murder and armed criminal action linked to the shooting death of 33-year-old Patrik’ James, which occurred on the 2800 block of Gamble Street in the Jeff-Vander-Lou neighborhood. In exchange for his guilty plea, prosecutors dismissed the murder and armed criminal action counts, the court records indicated.
Larkin will serve a 10-year term for one count of illegal gun possession and a consecutive three-year term for a second count, mixing for a total of 13 years behind bars. His prior run-ins with the law include a series of felony convictions for illegal gun possession, tampering, and robbery in St. Louis and St. Louis County. The plea agreement comes as Larkin's case, bearing the number 2322-CR00956-01, was on the docket for proceeding to trial this week before Circuit Judge Timothy Boyer.
The details of the case, including the plea agreement, were outlined on the St. Louis Circuit Court's website.
