St. Louis: Over 1,000 Murders Unsolved Over Decade Amid Police Challenges

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department faces budget cuts and severe staff shortages while trying to solve more than 1,000 unsolved murder cases from the last decade.

St. Louis, Missouri, is grappling with a grim reality: over 1,000 unsolved murders in the past decade. This alarming number has persisted despite efforts by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) to curb spiraling crime rates.

The SLMPD has reported a 21% reduction in homicides in 2023 compared to the previous year. However, the city's murder clearance rate remains significantly lower than the national average. According to Thomas Hargrove, founder of the Murder Accountability Project, St. Louis has an approximate 44% clearance rate, well below the 55-60% average.

St. Louis: Over 1,000 Murders Unsolved Over Decade Amid Police Challenges

Hargrove attributes the low clearance rate to several factors, including severe fiscal challenges faced by the city. The tax base has been declining, and the city has experienced a steady decrease in population over the past three years.

The police force has also been dwindling, with over 300 vacancies reported in December. This shortage has made it difficult for the SLMPD to effectively investigate and solve crimes.

St. Louis: Over 1,000 Murders Unsolved Over Decade Amid Police Challenges

The "defund the police" movement has also impacted morale and recruitment, exacerbating the staffing challenges.

The lack of trust between the police and the Black community has also contributed to the disproportionate clearance rate for Black victims. Hargrove notes that Black murders are less likely to be solved due to a reluctance to cooperate with authorities.

St. Louis: Over 1,000 Murders Unsolved Over Decade Amid Police Challenges

Critics argue that an underrepresentation of Black detectives may be a factor, while fear of retaliation and threats have created a chilling effect in the community.

Despite these challenges, the SLMPD claims that its clearance rate has improved thanks to a change in reporting methods. However, Hargrove believes that the reported numbers may be misleading due to the inability to easily quantify the number of solved cases from prior years.

St. Louis: Over 1,000 Murders Unsolved Over Decade Amid Police Challenges

The unsolved murders have disproportionately affected the Black community, with a 36.5% clearance rate compared to 48% for White victims. This has led some to criticize the city's former Circuit Attorney, Kim Gardner, for failing to prosecute cases adequately.

The Missouri Attorney General's Office released a report outlining Gardner's alleged "willful dereliction of her duties," although Gardner insists that the criticism was politically motivated.

St. Louis: Over 1,000 Murders Unsolved Over Decade Amid Police Challenges

Despite the high number of unsolved homicides, the SLMPD claims to be making progress. Wall says that 57% of last year's murders were solved, and a 24% reduction in shooting incidents has been reported.

Hargrove emphasizes the importance of solving murders to prevent further violence and inspire trust in the community. "Nothing good happens when most killers are allowed to walk the streets," he says. "Uncaught killers also inspire others and they demonstrate that there are no sanctions to murder."

The SLMPD remains committed to solving cold cases, including the unsolved murder of a young Black girl in 1983. Wall assures that investigators will continue to pursue all available leads to bring justice to the victims and their families.