Click here for updates on this story
St. Charles, MO (KMOV) — The St. Charles man arrested in connection with a quadruple homicide in St. Charles was arraigned Monday morning.
Prosecutors charged 46-year-old Richard Darren Emery with a total of 15 charges including first-degree murder, armed criminal action and assault Saturday.
During his arraignment, the judge read all 15 charges against Emery. The suspect did not speak but shook his head yes or no when responding to questions. Emery shook his head no when asked if he had contacted the public defender’s office.
Police were called to the scene of an active shooting in the 100 block of Whetstone at 11:55 p.m. Friday. Lt. Wilkison of the St. Charles Police Department said the 911 dispatcher heard gunshots and sounds of people screaming during the call.
St. Charles police confirmed that three people were shot and killed at the home on Whetstone Friday and a fourth victim later died at the hospital from gunshot wounds sustained at the home. Zoe J. Kasten, 8, Jonathan Kasten, 10, Jane Moeckel, 61, and Kate Kasten, 39, have been identified by police as the victims.
Moeckel, also known by her friends as Jane Campbell, was staying with the family while she recovered from a recent hip surgery.
Police said Kasten was the mother of the two children found dead inside the home. Family members said Kasten had been dating Emery for over a year.
Officers said they saw Emery exit the home and get into a white Chevrolet Silverado in the driveway before leaving the subdivision that night.
After officers stopped the car, police said the 46-year-old refused to get out the car and allegedly fired shots at the two responding officers.
“The officer had his firearm up, pointed at the suspect, giving him verbal commands to surrender,” said Wilkison. “He took gunfire from the suspect, the officer returned fire and retreated to the back of his vehicle to get better cover from the rounds that were coming towards him.”
The officer’s vehicle was struck eight times by gunfire, according to police.
The officer, who has 16 years of experience on the St. Charles Police Force, and his K-9 unit were uninjured but Emery escaped on foot into a wooded area.
THE MANHUNT
The Major Case Squad was called in to assist with the investigation. Helicopter and SWAT teams were also called to assist in the search for the suspect.
Hours later, detectives say Emery attempted to carjack a woman on DelaCroix near Muegge Road. The woman told officers Emery approached her and said “I gotta get out of here” during the incident.
He was unable to start the woman’s car and then stabbed her seven times, according to police. The woman was listed in critical but stable condition.
Police took Emery in custody around 7:30 a.m. when they found him at QuikTrip on 1st Capital Drive, just off Interstate 70. Workers at the convenience store called police when Emery, covered in blood, went into the bathroom. The 46-year-old sustained two gunshot wounds.
Emery was hospitalized at a local hospital and treated for his injuries.
While being interviewed by authorities at the hospital, Emery reportedly asked if the woman he allegedly stabbed during his carjacking attempt was okay. According to charging documents, Emery was sitting in a trauma room with detectives and ask “Are you the officers I shot at?”. He apologized to the detectives after learning that they were friends with the officers he fired shots at earlier.
Both the gun and the knife were found near the scene by investigators.
SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS
Neighbors and loved ones were shocked by the string of crimes caused by one man overnight.
Outside of Harris Elementary, close friends, family and local community members gathered Sunday evening to remember and mourn a family taken too soon.
“The big question is what the heck happened,” said Fredrick Moeckel.
Moeckel was the father of Kate and grandfather of Zoe and Johnathon. He says his ex-wife Jane Moeckel died trying to protect the children.
“Its hard to not say something bad about Darren but I can’t cause there was never an indication that something like this could happen he always took care he helped the kids the kids loved him,” said Moeckel.
Julie Schaffer was very close with the family. She was supposed to be over Friday night but was sick. She’s desperate for answers.
“Why did you do this Darren? Why would you do something like this to my babies,” Schaffer said.
St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney Tim Lohmar said each of Emery’s charges carries a possible penalty of 30 years to life in prison.
“It’s premature for us to make any sort of pronouncement about that right now, but I can tell you this thing looks and smells like a death penalty case,” he said.
There is no mention of Emery ever inquiring about the four people he accused of shooting or killing.
A GoFundMe account has been created for the Kasten family to cover funeral cost.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
