ST. LOUIS – The first jury conviction for murder—under new St. Louis County Prosecutor Melissa Price Smith—reveals how modern policing is making a difference.

Only FOX 2 reveals the evidence that led to a confession.

Police bodycam video shows the last cigarette smoked in the free world by 35-year-old Rodney Collins. He went with police peacefully after the North County Police Cooperative (NCPC) gathered evidence that left no doubt in the minds of a jury last month.

“No rock can be left unturned,” NCPC Corporal Benjamin Santoyo said. “Unique to this investigation, this spanned approximately 20 days from the date of the incident to the date of the arrest.”

It began with a murder inside a north St. Louis County home near Woodrow and Maywood.

William Gholson was discovered two days after he was killed on Aug. 11, 2023.

Cpl. Santoyo added, “You have to go and talk to people who actually met with the victim.”

Police reviewed ring doorbell camera videos, revealing an interesting co-worker.

“It was Rodney Collins,” Santoyo said.

They tracked Collins in stores—including a Dollar Store, in which police say he was buying cleaning supplies.

Police got a search warrant to check the suspect’s home and found the alleged murder weapon—it was inside that drawstring bag.

“I’m glad justice was served,” Gloria Shields-Snulligan said.

She lives nearby where it happened. Shields-Snulligan didn’t doubt police would solve the crime.

The evidence gathered led to a confession, which the defendant even wrote out and read to police.

“The gun went off—he fell. My phone did too, so I picked it up, thought about what had just happened and panicked and left,” Collins said.

Santoyo says a key is remaining respectful of everyone involved—even in the darkest circumstances.

“Bear in mind, not everybody is a bad person. Some people have just made really horrific mistakes,” Santoyo said.

You can even hear that approach, incredibly, after the murder arrest of Collins in the body cam video.

An officer senses the handcuffs are uncomfortable and tells Collins, “It’s tight, sorry man.” Collins responded, “You’re fine.”

It’s not a dramatic takedown, but one that results in a lifelong prison sentence for Rodney Collins.