Three Teens Arrested in Murder of Patrice Thimes, Woman Killed in Crossfire

By Chad Garrison Mon., Mar. 21 2011 at 7:29 AM

Categories: The Big Bloody (Homicides)

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Patrice Thimes

St. Louis Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce yesterday announced that three teenagers have been charged with the death of Patrice Thimes.

The 39-year-old mother of two was driving down Page Avenue last Thursday when her Lexus SUV drove through gunfire near the intersection of Euclid Avenue. Thimes' death prompted the St. Louis police on Friday to activate its Violent Offense Team to locate the killers, who may be responsible for several recent shootings. On Sunday the department deactivated the unit, stating that detectives had gathered sufficient evidence to lead to charges for at least one homicide (presumably Thimes') as well as new leads on several other unsolved murders.

Those charged in Thimes' death are:

Sheltkeem Brown, 18
Ronnie Mottley, 18
Bernard Dorris, 19.

The men were allegedly firing shots at another group of men at the time Thimes was struck in the head by a stray bullet. All three were charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. They remain in custody this morning with bail set at $300,000.

Last night friends and family of Patrice Thimes gathered for a memorial on what would have been her 40th birthday. Thimes' sister, jazz singer Denise Thimes, told Fox 2 that the memorial was for her sister and all the victims of senseless murders in St. Louis.