A manhunt is underway in Lake St. Louis after a 39-year-old man was found shot to death inside an outbuilding on the 8500 block of Orf Road. Prosecutors have charged a suspect in the killing and set bond at $1,000,000 cash-only, while police continue searching for the man they say pulled the trigger. Investigators report the gunfire followed a dispute, and witnesses say they heard shots tear through the quiet at the scene.
The St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has filed charges of first-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the Saturday shooting, according to FOX2. Witnesses told police they heard roughly 10 gunshots coming from the outbuilding before the victim was discovered. The man had been shot multiple times in the torso and was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Investigators said the deadly confrontation grew out of a dispute over about $400 allegedly owed from a roofing job. Witnesses also described seeing a black Jeep Grand Cherokee near the outbuilding and reported activity around the structure shortly before the shots rang out.
Suspect, vehicle and tips
Police have identified the suspect as Ranferi Rojas-Solano, who they say remains at large, according to FOX2. Investigators linked a black Jeep Grand Cherokee, bearing Missouri license plate TM7H0M, to the case and said license-plate readers placed the vehicle in the area at the time of the shooting. Authorities allege Rojas-Solano admitted to a passenger in the Jeep that he had committed the killing, and that family members later urged him to switch plates and abandon the vehicle.
Charges and next steps
The St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has charged Rojas-Solano with first-degree murder and armed criminal action, offenses that carry severe penalties if proven at trial. Prosecutors are seeking to have him held on a $1,000,000 cash-only bond once he is taken into custody, and court proceedings will move forward after his arrest.
Police are asking anyone with information about the shooting or Rojas-Solano’s whereabouts to contact the Lake St. Louis Police Department at 636-625-8018. Investigators say he is believed to have contacted family members in Illinois, Arkansas and Mexico after the shooting, and they are hoping tips from the public will help track him down.
