ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — In a significant development, the St. Louis County Family Court has certified East St. Louis resident Corey Brinkley, 17, as an adult in a murder case.
On Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office issued charges against Brinkley for Murder First Degree and Armed Criminal Action. Brinkley resides in the 600 block of North 22nd Street in East St. Louis and is currently being held on a $1 million cash-only bond.
The case stems from a suspicious death investigation initiated on Jan. 6, 2024. According to the probable cause statement, a St. Louis County patrol officer discovered the body of Jaimarcus P. McDaniel, also 17, lying face down in the snow in an open field in Jennings, Mo. The initial investigation revealed that McDaniel had suffered multiple gunshot wounds, including two to the head and several to the chest, shoulders, thigh, and forearm.
St. Louis County Police said Detective #1 took the lead in the investigation, which identified four suspects: a female identified as K.F., two male juveniles currently in Family Court custody identified as M.L. and C.C., and Corey Brinkley.
Evidence gathered during the investigation suggests that the suspects picked up McDaniel from his residence in Illinois, transported him to Jennings, Mo., and then carried out the fatal shooting.
St. Louis County Police added that witness statements and ballistic evidence placed all four suspects at the crime scene. License plate recognition (LPR) cameras also corroborated the movement of the suspect vehicle from Illinois to Missouri and back within approximately 35 minutes.
The St. Louis County Police Department’s Bureau of Crimes Against Persons detectives are leading the ongoing investigation.
It is important to note that charges are merely accusations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
