ST. LOUIS – The last of three defendants appeared in St. Louis Circuit Court on Wednesday to be sentenced for shooting and killing a woman who accidentally sideswiped his car in 2022.

Police said Lekesha Stokes was gunned down just after midnight on Feb. 11, 2022, in the 8500 block of Church Drive in the Baden neighborhood.

Responding officers found Stokes suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, including one to her head. She was taken to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Stokes was 39.

Police said Stokes had just dropped off a friend and was returning home from a karaoke event. She drove her vehicle, a Kia, through an intersection, weaved, and sideswiped a Jaguar and then hit the car in front of it.

The owner of the Jaguar, Douglas Shelton-Herron, was sitting in the vehicle with four friends. The group was smoking marijuana at the time of the crash.

Following the crash, Shelton-Herron jumped out of the Jaguar and fired a dozen shots at the Kia with what prosecutors described as “a short-barrel semiautomatic rifle.” Two others in the car also fired several shots at the Kia with 9mm handguns while running away from the crash scene.

The entire shooting was caught on police surveillance cameras.

A jury convicted Shelton-Herron on Sept. 26, 2024, of second-degree murder and armed criminal action. Prosecutors had sought a first-degree murder conviction.

The other two men charged in Stokes’ death, Corey Evans, 21, and Thomas L. Shelton, 25, were each sentenced to 10 years in prison in April after reaching plea deals with the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office. Evans and Shelton pleaded guilty to armed criminal action and voluntary manslaughter. Prosecutors reduced their first-degree murder charges to manslaughter.

At Wednesday’s sentencing hearing, Stokes’ younger sister said she’s had to raise Lekeshia’s four children, and they’re struggling to cope without their mother. Stokes’ mother shared her grief before the court as well.

Prior to sentencing, Shelton-Herron apologized to Stokes’ family and added that he’d trade his life for hers.

Circuit Court Judge Bryan Hettenbach sentenced Shelton-Herron to 30 years on the murder charge and 10 years for armed criminal action. The sentences will run consecutively.