Topline: A St. Louis jury convicted a 21-year-old man of murder and robbery charges in a 2023 Airbnb homecoming party shooting that left 17-year-old Iarvera Hale dead and two other teenagers injured.
Published: April 27, 2026 8:30 am ET
Shawn Fletcher
Committed to the craft of journalism and am driven by my desire to inform and inspire.
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ST. LOUIS, MO — A jury on Thursday found Azavian Royal guilty of second-degree murder, first-degree robbery, second-degree assault and four counts of armed criminal action in the Oct. 8, 2023, shooting at a party on South Compton Avenue.
Police said Royal and three co-defendants had been at the party, held at an Airbnb after a high school homecoming, before they pulled out guns and announced a robbery, according to KSDK. Investigators said Royal pointed a gun at one victim and struck that victim with it, and that Royal and the other defendants opened fire on victims who were not resisting the robbery.
Officers responding around 3:24 a.m. to the 3500 block of South Compton Avenue found Hale unconscious, not breathing, and suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Police also found a 16-year-old with a graze wound to the leg and a 17-year-old with a cut to the face after being struck by a handgun.
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore said the case showed how quickly gun violence can turn a gathering into a tragedy. One co-defendant, 20-year-old Orlando Bernard, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder last week and was sentenced to 19 years in prison.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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One Killed, Teens Injured After Gunmen Open Fire at Homecoming Afterparty
A St. Louis jury convicted a 21-year-old man of murder and robbery charges in a 2023 Airbnb homecoming party shooting that left 17-year-old Iarvera Hale dead and two other teenagers injured.
By Shawn Fletcher
Published: April 27, 2026 8:30 am ET
ST. LOUIS, MO — A jury on Thursday found Azavian Royal guilty of second-degree murder, first-degree robbery, second-degree assault and four counts of armed criminal action in the Oct. 8, 2023, shooting at a party on South Compton Avenue.
Police said Royal and three co-defendants had been at the party, held at an Airbnb after a high school homecoming, before they pulled out guns and announced a robbery, according to KSDK. Investigators said Royal pointed a gun at one victim and struck that victim with it, and that Royal and the other defendants opened fire on victims who were not resisting the robbery.
Officers responding around 3:24 a.m. to the 3500 block of South Compton Avenue found Hale unconscious, not breathing, and suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Police also found a 16-year-old with a graze wound to the leg and a 17-year-old with a cut to the face after being struck by a handgun.
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore said the case showed how quickly gun violence can turn a gathering into a tragedy. One co-defendant, 20-year-old Orlando Bernard, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder last week and was sentenced to 19 years in prison.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Latest Articles
One Killed, Teens Injured After Gunmen Open Fire at Homecoming Afterparty
A St. Louis jury convicted a 21-year-old man of murder and robbery charges in a 2023 Airbnb homecoming party shooting that left 17-year-old Iarvera Hale dead and two other teenagers injured.
By Shawn Fletcher
Published: April 27, 2026 8:30 am ET
ST. LOUIS, MO — A jury on Thursday found Azavian Royal guilty of second-degree murder, first-degree robbery, second-degree assault and four counts of armed criminal action in the Oct. 8, 2023, shooting at a party on South Compton Avenue.
Police said Royal and three co-defendants had been at the party, held at an Airbnb after a high school homecoming, before they pulled out guns and announced a robbery, according to KSDK. Investigators said Royal pointed a gun at one victim and struck that victim with it, and that Royal and the other defendants opened fire on victims who were not resisting the robbery.
Officers responding around 3:24 a.m. to the 3500 block of South Compton Avenue found Hale unconscious, not breathing, and suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Police also found a 16-year-old with a graze wound to the leg and a 17-year-old with a cut to the face after being struck by a handgun.
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore said the case showed how quickly gun violence can turn a gathering into a tragedy. One co-defendant, 20-year-old Orlando Bernard, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder last week and was sentenced to 19 years in prison.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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