Two men have been charged in the April 19 drive-by shooting that killed Ronald Milton, the 41-year-old owner of the Backyard BBQ food truck in Ferguson. Milton was shot while closing his truck in a lot off New Halls Ferry Road and later died at an area hospital. Authorities say the arrests came after weeks of combing through surveillance footage and sifting physical evidence collected at the scene.
Court records list the suspects, identified as Todd Weems and Darion Heartfield, as each facing one count of first-degree murder, three counts of armed criminal action and two counts of first-degree assault, according to FOX2. Prosecutors allege the two were in a vehicle that drove past the parked food truck and opened fire, hitting Milton and two women, who were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
How investigators say they tracked leads
Detectives say surveillance footage shows a vehicle pulling into the lot, firing and then speeding off. The St. Louis County Police Bureau of Crimes Against Persons took over the investigation, according to RiverBender. Investigators canvassed nearby businesses and collected multiple pieces of evidence at the scene as they worked to identify who was behind the gunfire.
Milton remembered by neighbors and businesses
Milton, a Florissant resident who ran the Backyard BBQ truck, was remembered by friends and fellow business owners as generous, approachable and deeply invested in the community he served. Local businesses have put up a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction, as reported by the St. Louis American. The shooting and its aftermath were also covered by local television outlets, including First Alert 4, underscoring how deeply the killing rattled customers and neighbors who knew Milton from his regular parking spot.
Evidence and court dates
Authorities told reporters they later found a car on fire in Illinois and say both suspects identified themselves in a separate video recorded near that vehicle, according to FOX2. Police also reported that shell casings recovered at the food truck scene were consistent with casings found near one suspect’s home, and laboratory testing on the evidence is still underway.
Court filings show that Weems had a hearing the Friday before the story was published, while Heartfield has a preliminary hearing scheduled for June 15.
What comes next
The two defendants will move through arraignment and pretrial proceedings in St. Louis County and remain presumed innocent until proven guilty. Prosecutors must complete the remaining lab work and turn over their evidence to defense attorneys before the case can inch closer to trial.
