ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — Detectives with the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis are asking the public to take a good look at surveillance photos of three people of interest in the fatal shooting of a 19-year-old.
The photos were taken from a Metrolink train in Pagedale, which is in north St. Louis County.
Detectives want to question the riders, two women and a man, about the fatal shooting of Jaylin Johnson.
"I just feel empty. I just feel numb. I don't want to do anything," said Cherelle Johnson, Jaylin's mother.
Cherelle Johnson said detectives told her surveillance video shows shortly before one Friday morning her son got off a Metrolink train, walked a short distance and was shot and killed near St. Charles Rock Road and Kingsland Avenue.
"The video shows him being friendly like he's always been. Just having a friendly conversation, sharing some interests with strangers," Johnson said.
She said the "strangers" robbed her son, stole his cell phone, his registered gun, two bags and then reboarded another train.
"My son was hanging out with other teenagers downtown, then got on a Metro train downtown and was heading to our home in Ballwin. We recently moved there from Ferguson. He was also staying with a friend. They lured my son to his death. They walked to the darkest place, shot him and took everything he had on him. They left him to die on the ground. It's cold-hearted," Jaylin's mom said.
Jaylin had a seven-month-old son and worked at a manufacturing company. The 19-year-old was the oldest of four.
"His 10-year-old brother is crushed. This has not registered with his 9-year-old sister. Jaylin was just so smart. He's the one who always helped everyone. He didn't have any enemies," his mother said.
Now, his hurting mom hopes releasing the surveillance photos will help detectives solve her son's murder.
"He got on that train by himself and exited with six others. They're gonna catch them," Johnson said.
Johnson said so far, police have arrested three suspects, including 28-year-old Kenneth Hall. They're still looking for the three others.
Anyone with information can call CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS.
Photos: Persons of interest in Pagedale homicide
Kevin Scott, General Manager of Security for Bi-State Development, gave the following statement on Monday:
“Although the crime did not occur on MetroLink or on Metro Transit property, we are assisting the Major Case Squad of St. Louis in all possible ways so they can solve the case.”
A GoFundMe campaign was created for Johnson's family.