A St. Louis jury has delivered a verdict in a case emerging from a fatal encounter at a gas station two years prior, convicting 26-year-old James Armstrong of involuntary manslaughter, attempted robbery, and armed criminal action. The legal proceedings addressed the circumstances that led to the death of 25-year-old Jerry Savage on February 8, 2023, when an attempted robbery escalated into a fatal shooting on North Union Boulevard in the Mark Twain neighborhood, as reported by the Circuit Attorney's Office.
According to the Circuit Attorney's Office, Armstrong stood by as his accomplices confronted and attempted to rob Savage who was at the time refueling his truck, a violent struggle ensued leading to Savage being shot multiple times, and he ultimately died from his wounds after a good Samaritan's efforts at CPR failed to save him, after the incident, an unrelated individual exploited the situation by stealing two backpacks filled with marijuana from the victim's vehicle.
Officials apprehended Armstrong on March 8, 2023, while he resided at Dismas House, a facility for individuals transitioning back into society; he was under supervised release following a 2020 guilty plea to a federal drug charge, and he now faces sentencing scheduled for April 14, 2025. The prosecution team included Special Assistant Circuit Attorney Gordon Ankney and Assistant Circuit Attorney Nicholas Hirst, with assistance from Thompson Coburn LLP's Senior Counsel.
In a statement reflecting on the jury's decision, Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore highlighted the calculated nature of Armstrong's involvement in the crime, "Even though he did not pull the trigger, the defendant’s actions abetting Mr. Savage’s murder were cold, calculated and deadly," said Gore, reaffirming the sentiment that justice has been served by holding Armstrong accountable for the consequences of the attempted robbery gone awry, tying him to the perpetration of Savage's killing, detailed by the Circuit Attorney's Office.
