Topline: A St. Louis County man who killed his mother during a 2022 argument will spend two decades in prison after a plea deal in the case.
Published: July 17, 2026 10:00 am ET
Randy Shaw
I cut my teeth in journalism when I began looking into what I saw as abuses of power in my local government. From then on, I was hooked on the dopamine rush of uncovering information.
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FERGUSON, MO — A St. Louis County man was sentenced to 20 years in prison after admitting he fatally stabbed his mother during a 2022 confrontation inside her Ferguson-area home.
The sentence was handed down July 15 in St. Louis County Circuit Court after Antone Pate, now 33, entered a plea deal tied to second-degree murder and resisting arrest, according to KSDK’s report on the sentencing.
Police said the killing happened in April 2022 after an argument between Pate and his mother, 49-year-old Elise Pate, escalated at the home in the 1700 block of Exuma Drive. Investigators said Elise Pate had called another son and told him his brother needed to leave the house, but the call was cut off.
When that brother went to the home, he found Antone Pate stabbing their mother, according to earlier local reporting on the case. Police said the brother shot Antone Pate in an attempt to stop the attack.
Elise Pate was found unresponsive and later died from her injuries. Authorities said Antone Pate also fought with officers as they tried to take him into custody.
The case ended this week with a prison sentence that closes out one of the St. Louis area’s more disturbing family homicide cases, one in which a mother was killed inside her own home by her son after what began as a domestic argument.
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.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
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Man Sentenced for Stabbing Mother to Death as Brother Tried to Save Her
A St. Louis County man who killed his mother during a 2022 argument will spend two decades in prison after a plea deal in the case.
By Randy Shaw
Published: July 17, 2026 10:00 am ET
FERGUSON, MO — A St. Louis County man was sentenced to 20 years in prison after admitting he fatally stabbed his mother during a 2022 confrontation inside her Ferguson-area home.
The sentence was handed down July 15 in St. Louis County Circuit Court after Antone Pate, now 33, entered a plea deal tied to second-degree murder and resisting arrest, according to KSDK’s report on the sentencing.
Police said the killing happened in April 2022 after an argument between Pate and his mother, 49-year-old Elise Pate, escalated at the home in the 1700 block of Exuma Drive. Investigators said Elise Pate had called another son and told him his brother needed to leave the house, but the call was cut off.
When that brother went to the home, he found Antone Pate stabbing their mother, according to earlier local reporting on the case. Police said the brother shot Antone Pate in an attempt to stop the attack.
Elise Pate was found unresponsive and later died from her injuries. Authorities said Antone Pate also fought with officers as they tried to take him into custody.
The case ended this week with a prison sentence that closes out one of the St. Louis area’s more disturbing family homicide cases, one in which a mother was killed inside her own home by her son after what began as a domestic argument.
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.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Man Sentenced for Stabbing Mother to Death as Brother Tried to Save Her
A St. Louis County man who killed his mother during a 2022 argument will spend two decades in prison after a plea deal in the case.
By Randy Shaw
Published: July 17, 2026 10:00 am ET
FERGUSON, MO — A St. Louis County man was sentenced to 20 years in prison after admitting he fatally stabbed his mother during a 2022 confrontation inside her Ferguson-area home.
The sentence was handed down July 15 in St. Louis County Circuit Court after Antone Pate, now 33, entered a plea deal tied to second-degree murder and resisting arrest, according to KSDK’s report on the sentencing.
Police said the killing happened in April 2022 after an argument between Pate and his mother, 49-year-old Elise Pate, escalated at the home in the 1700 block of Exuma Drive. Investigators said Elise Pate had called another son and told him his brother needed to leave the house, but the call was cut off.
When that brother went to the home, he found Antone Pate stabbing their mother, according to earlier local reporting on the case. Police said the brother shot Antone Pate in an attempt to stop the attack.
Elise Pate was found unresponsive and later died from her injuries. Authorities said Antone Pate also fought with officers as they tried to take him into custody.
The case ended this week with a prison sentence that closes out one of the St. Louis area’s more disturbing family homicide cases, one in which a mother was killed inside her own home by her son after what began as a domestic argument.
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.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
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