ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo. — A 16-year-old St. Charles boy has been charged as an adult in connection with the killing of a 15-year-old girl in February.
The St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney's Office announced Wednesday that Alex Mason, 16, was ordered on June 30 to be certified for prosecution as an adult. He was transferred to Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court to be tried on charges of second-degree murder, first-degree attempted robbery and armed criminal action.
The above video was published on Feb. 20.
Lydia Elking was fatally shot on Feb. 18 near the intersection of Oak Avenue and Perry Street.
According to a probable cause statement, Elking rode along with her 17-year-old boyfriend who drove to the area to meet and buy marijuana from Mason and another teen. Mason and his codefendant then pulled out a gun and announced a robbery, police said.
A struggle ensued and Elking was shot. Her boyfriend drove her to a hospital, where she died.
The boy was able to give a description of the suspects, which led them to identify Mason and his codefendant. According to a probable cause statement, they went to the home where Mason lived and spoke to Mason's mother, who allowed police inside and was surprised to find that he and the codefendant were not in his bedroom.
Mason's mother told police that Mason always bought marijuana in front of the house. She told police that Mason and the other suspect used her Uber account to go to a local Target on the night of the shooting.
Police identified the two on surveillance video, the probable cause statement said.
Mason is in custody on a $1 million bond. The second suspect remains in the custody of juvenile court.
“A seemingly innocuous circumstance can turn deadly so fast that people, especially young people, need to think through their decisions,” St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney Joseph McCulloch said in a statement.
Elking was a student at Liberty High School. Not long after the shooting, her classmates gathered to honor her with a memorial.
“I think everyone that has spoken about her, posted about her, said something, have all said that she had a smile that lit up the room and just a personality that brightened every place that she walked into,” Layla Thornton told 5 On Your Side at the event.