ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — A warrant was issued Friday for a man's arrest after police said he shot and killed another man earlier this week, then set fire to the victim's St. Louis County home in an attempt to destroy the evidence.
St. Louis County prosecutors charged Thurman Lowe with first-degree murder, armed criminal action, unlawful possession of a firearm, second-degree arson and tampering with physical evidence in a felony prosecution, all felonies.
According to the St. Louis County Police Department, officers with the North County Precinct responded to a house fire at about 8:50 a.m. Tuesday in the 10500 block of Baron Drive. After fire crews extinguished the flames, they found 46-year-old Freddie Tribbitt dead inside the home.
According to a probable cause statement, camera footage showed Lowe pacing outside his home, which was owned by Tribbit, and saying he was going to kill Tribbit. He was then seen pacing outside the door to Tribbit's room with a gun and stating again that he would kill him.
The video showed Lowe pointing his gun at Tribbit's door and firing multiple rounds, then kicking the door in, at which point more shots could be heard.
Lowe then left the room, returned with "some type of flammable item" and entered Tribbit's room, the statement said. The smoke alarm went off and Lowe left the room, and smoke could be seen coming from Tribbet's room as Lowe watched from a distance.
Lowe left the home once the fire grew, according to the probable cause statement. He was later identified by a witness as the suspect.
According to court records, Lowe was a felon and barred from possessing firearms. He was previously convicted in 1983 for rape, first-degree burglary and first-degree robbery, and he was on parole after serving a 30-year sentence.
Once Lowe is in custody, he will be held on a $3 million bond.
St. Louis County Police Department Crimes Against Persons and Regional Arson and Explosives detectives investigated the case.
