ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis man appeared in court Thursday and pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter for causing the death of his roommate.

According to court documents, police went to a hospital on Dec. 3, 2023, for a reported assault. The victim, Jeraun Spiva, was found in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with head trauma.

Spiva’s parents told police their son had been attacked by his roommate, Jeffery D. Santee.

Santee admitted that he and Spiva got into a verbal confrontation at their apartment in the 4200 block of Fair Avenue earlier that day. They were arguing because Spiva had locked the apartment door, and Santee had forgotten his shoes inside.

Santee struck Spiva, who fell over and struck his head on the concrete.

When Spiva’s parents found him, he was bleeding from his mouth and ear and speaking incoherently. They rushed him to a nearby hospital, where he had emergency surgery.

Spiva died the next day. He was 41.

Santee was initially charged with second-degree murder. However, he reached a plea agreement with the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office to avoid trial. Prosecutors waived the murder charge in exchange for a guilty plea to involuntary manslaughter.

The circuit court judge approved the agreement and sentenced Santee to 10 years in state prison.