ST. LOUIS, MO (August 9, 2024) — Khamkhay Samatmanivong, 57, was found guilty of second-degree murder, armed criminal action, first-degree burglary and first-degree robbery in the shooting death of Charles D. Keltz, 37, in the 7000 block of Michigan Avenue in the city’s Carondelet neighborhood on November 23, 2017.

Samatmanivong had driven his black BMW to a BP gas station at the corner of Virginia and Bates avenues, where he encountered H.J., 31. Samatmanivong bought H.J. cigarettes and a Cardinals hat at the gas station and gave her cash, telling her he wanted her to be his girlfriend and live with him in his house in Arnold. She asked him to drop her off near the apartment where she lived with Keltz.

Later that evening, Samatmanivong drove to H.J.’s apartment to get his money back and waited for her to come out. Instead, Keltz went outside and told Samatmanivong that H.J. was not there. Samatmanivong then telephoned two associates, Maurice Whitt and Durrell Anderson, who beat Keltz and began pounding on the apartment door while H.J. hid in the bedroom closet.

Whitt entered the apartment and dragged H.J. out of the closet by her hair. While she was being dragged out of the apartment, H.J. heard gunshots. Home surveillance cameras showed two men outside the apartment beating and then chasing Keltz, who was shot as he tried to run away to call for help.

Whitt and Anderson got into their car and drove off. Samatmanivong and H.J. followed in his BMW, and he told H.J. they were going to kill her. When the two cars slowed in traffic in front of a nearby bar on Michigan Avenue, H.J. jumped out of the car and ran inside, fearing for her life.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant Circuit Attorneys Christopher Faerber and Adam Field.

“The courage and determination of the surviving victim, H.J., were instrumental in bringing about justice in this case,” said Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore. “The city is safer with this criminal ringleader behind bars.”



Samatmanivong will be sentenced on November 1, 2024. Anderson pleaded guilty in 2023 to second-degree murder, armed criminal action, and kidnapping and was sentenced to 18 years in prison. Whitt is awaiting trial.

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