Cahokia Heights, Ill. — The quiet Metro East community was shaken this weekend as officials confirmed two deaths in a shooting incident that has left investigators and neighbors searching for answers. What began as a routine police response turned into a Major Case Squad investigation when officers discovered a 67-year-old man shot inside his home Friday night, and, hours later, found a 44-year-old woman also shot at a nearby residence.
At approximately 9:11 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 12, Cahokia Heights police answered an urgent call to the 3900 block of Walnut Street. Inside the home, they found Bruce A. Mason of Maryville, Illinois, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. First responders rushed him to a local hospital where he died from his injuries.
As detectives worked the scene Saturday, they obtained a search warrant for a neighboring residence tied to the initial shooting. That’s where they encountered the body of Laniya Joyce White, 44, of East St. Louis. She was found with what authorities described as “apparent gunshot wounds” and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Officials have made it clear these deaths are connected, and investigators do not believe either shooting was random. The Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis, which oversees complex or unsolved criminal cases in the region, has taken the lead in piecing together the timeline and motive behind the tragic events.
Despite extensive canvassing and follow-ups, authorities say the person believed responsible for the shootings remains at large as of Sunday afternoon. Police have emphasized that there is no known threat to the public, a detail that has offered some reassurance to community members unnerved by the violence.
Neighbors describe the area as usually calm, and the sudden loss of two community members has left many struggling to reconcile the violence with everyday life. “You never expect something like this here,” one resident said, voicing a sentiment shared by many in the neighborhood who have watched investigators come and go from their street.
The Major Case Squad continues to gather forensic evidence, interview witnesses, and follow leads in hopes of identifying a suspect and providing answers to the families of Mason and White. Officials are urging anyone with information to call the Major Case Squad Command Post at (618) 337-9507 or Crime Stoppers at 1-866-371-TIPS (8477). All tips can be submitted anonymously.
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