In a grim turn of events in North Hampton, a homicide investigation is now underway following a disturbing discovery amidst a house fire. According to St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, firefighters responding to a fire call on last Thursday found an adult male victim inside the burning residence who had suffered severe burns and, upon further examination, had been shot. The man, later identified as 36-year-old William Wills of the 5000 block of Pernod, was rushed to a local hospital but succumbed to his injuries.
While battling the blaze, that broke out around 5:40 p.m. at the said location, firefighters removed the severely burned man from the house, beginning lifesaving measures, they realized the victim had gunshot wounds. The unexpected finding shifted the emergency response to a grim crime scene investigation, with the District 2 officers arriving around 7 p.m., subsequently calling for Homicide Detectives to take over.
The loss of life in a residential area has shaken the North Hampton community, where neighbors would expect to be roused from peaceful existence by nothing more aggressive than the sound of fire trucks responding to save life and property, not to uncover deadly violence suppressed by flame. The specific circumstances surrounding William Wills' death are still unclear as detectives work to piece together the events leading to the shooting and fire. What is known is that this incident has left more questions than answers, and now, a neighborhood waits in somber anticipation for truth and justice to emerge from the ashes and gun smoke.
Details on potential suspects or motives have not been disclosed as this investigation continues in earnest. Providing some small comfort, the diligence of the St. Louis Fire Department's efforts were not lost in the conflagration, wherein they discovered the shooting while fighting fervently against the spread of the fire to save both life and habitation. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department urges anyone with information to step forward, as collaboration with the public is often crucial in cases like these. The police have not released further information at this time but vow that the investigation is ongoing and active.
