Bio

Joseph Whitfield was born on January 22, 1940. He grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. Information about his early life is limited, but like many, he faced challenges while growing up. Details about his family background, education, or hobbies are not widely known.

As he got older, Whitfield struggled with issues related to drugs. He was known to have had a difficult life, which may have influenced his choices. His involvement with drugs affected his relationships and his future.

At some point, he became known to law enforcement. Whitfield had interactions with people in his community that were not always positive. His life choices led him down a path that would ultimately be marked by crime. These factors shaped his life and set the stage for his later actions.

More specific details about his life before his crimes remain unclear. The focus on his later actions often overshadows the years leading up to them. However, it is evident that he had a tumultuous life that contributed to the person he became.

Murder Story

On January 20, 1988, Ronald Chester, who was a paraplegic, picked up Maria Evans to help him with errands. After completing the errands, they drove to a location in St. Louis where they met Joseph Whitfield. Whitfield was with a young girl whom he claimed was his daughter. An unidentified woman approached Chester’s car and asked him to take Whitfield and the girl home. Chester agreed, and they all got into his car.

Once inside the car, Whitfield asked Chester to stop at a liquor store. Chester complied and then drove to St. Ferdinand Street. After Whitfield got out quickly, he left the young girl behind. Chester waited for Whitfield to return but did not know what to do with the girl. After waiting for half an hour without seeing Whitfield, Chester went back to the neighborhood where he had first met Whitfield, looking for the woman who had approached him.

When Chester returned to St. Ferdinand Street, he parked in the same spot. Whitfield came back and asked Chester where he had been. He then left the car again, but this time Evans asked him to take the young girl with him, which he refused. Whitfield walked to another car where he talked to Charles Porter and Linda Scott, who were friends of his. Whitfield wanted drugs, but Porter did not give him any because he had no money. Instead, Porter gave Whitfield a loaded .38 caliber pistol.

Whitfield then returned to Chester's car and sat behind him. Whitfield struck Chester in the back of the head with the gun and also hit Evans in the forehead. Shortly afterward, Bolden, a friend of Whitfield's, urged him to shoot. Whitfield then shot Chester twice in the head, causing him to slump over the steering wheel. The car rolled across the street. Whitfield turned toward Evans, who grabbed the young girl and used her as a shield. Instead of shooting again, Whitfield pulled the girl out of the car and shot back inside, hitting Evans in the hand.

While hurt, Evans acted as if she were dead. Whitfield then fled the scene with Bolden and the young girl. Officer Jerry Leyshock was alerted to the shooting and suspected Whitfield was involved. He went to Barnes Hospital to talk to Evans, who identified Whitfield as the shooter. The police then went to a house on Wells Street and found Whitfield, along with Scott and the young girl. After retrieving the gun, they arrested Whitfield.