Ta Von Williams Obituary, Death; – Two individuals have been charged in connection with the death of their associate following an attempted armed robbery of a drug dealer earlier this week in Ferguson.
As per the probable cause statements from the Ferguson Police Department, the incident resulting in the fatal shooting took place on October 7. Specific details regarding the time and location were not provided.
Authorities reported that Vernon Williams and Joshua Haegele, accompanied by a young woman and another man identified as Ta’Von Williams by our partners at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, reached out to Ta’Von’s cousin with the intention of purchasing marijuana.
The group arrived at the cousin’s residence and remained in their parked vehicle. Upon the cousin’s arrival outside, Ta’Von brandished a firearm, aimed it at his cousin, and demanded, “You know what time it is. Give it up.”
Subsequently, Vernon Williams and Haegele exited the vehicle and confronted a witness in the cousin’s garage, holding him at gunpoint. Ta’Von then directed his cousin toward the garage as well.
During the encounter, a struggle ensued between the cousin and Ta’Von over the firearm. In the course of this altercation, the cousin managed to draw his own weapon and fatally shot Ta’Von in the head.
The cousin sought assistance at a neighbor’s residence while Vernon Williams and Haegele discharged additional rounds before fleeing the scene. Authorities indicated that the shooting was recorded on Ring surveillance footage.
The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has charged both Vernon Williams and Haegele with second-degree murder, first-degree attempted robbery, armed criminal action, and unlawful possession of a firearm. Both individuals are currently held in custody with a cash-only bond set at $1 million. They are scheduled to appear in court for a bond reduction hearing on October 16 and a preliminary hearing on November 7.
The cousin involved in the incident has not faced any charges. According to the Post-Dispatch, Haegele had been released from state prison on September 30 and was on parole after serving five years for a 2019 involuntary manslaughter conviction from his teenage years. Vernon Williams was also on parole for assault and unlawful use of a weapon at the time of the incident.
