A St. Louis jury has found Johnny Haynes Jr., 45, guilty of voluntary manslaughter, armed criminal action and unlawful possession of a firearm in the March 2025 shooting death of 27-year-old Mikell Rayford at a North St. Louis apartment complex. The verdict, a step down from the first-degree murder charge prosecutors originally sought, follows a confrontation that began when Haynes went to confront his girlfriend and her cousin at the apartment complex.
According to FOX 2, Rayford confronted Haynes about being loud and belligerent, and Haynes shot Rayford once before fleeing the scene on foot. FOX 2 reported that Haynes was arrested three weeks after the shooting.
From Murder Charge to Manslaughter Verdict
The Circuit Attorney's Office originally charged Haynes with first-degree murder, armed criminal action and unlawful possession of a firearm following his arrest, per the same VOP News STL account. Haynes admitted he was involved in an altercation with Rayford, and the jury returned a lesser voluntary manslaughter verdict. Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore said the verdict holds the defendant responsible for taking Rayford's life from his family and loved ones, per FOX 2.
Gore was appointed by Missouri Governor Mike Parson in May 2023 and elected to a full term in November 2024, according to Ballotpedia. He replaced former prosecutor Kimberly Gardner following her 2023 resignation. Court records also show Haynes has been convicted twice before in federal court for being a felon in possession of a firearm, the station's report notes.
What Haynes Faces at Sentencing
Voluntary manslaughter is classified as a Class B felony under Missouri Revised Statutes § 565.023, carrying a statutory prison sentence ranging from 5 to 15 years, according to MO.gov. Armed Criminal Action adds mandatory weight to that exposure: Missouri Revised Statutes § 571.015 requires a minimum three-year sentence for a first offense, served consecutively to the underlying felony term with no eligibility for probation or parole during those first three years. A first offense of unlawful possession of a firearm under § 571.070 is a Class C felony punishable by three to 10 years; certain prior convictions can raise the offense to Class B, according to the Russek Law Group. FOX 2 reported that Haynes faces up to 60 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for October 30, 2026.
Another Violent Chapter in The Ville
The 4300 block of St. Ferdinand Avenue sits in The Ville, which was the site of a separate fatal shooting on the same block in May 2025. The Haynes conviction adds another entry to that record.
