4 charged after burned human remains found in West Alton
Four suspects have been charged in connection with burned human remains that were found in West Alton on Tuesday.
Posted — UpdatedBrandon Jackson, 33, is charged with second-degree murder, armed criminal action, tampering with physical evidence and abandonment of a corpse. Raven Bennett, 28, who is married to Brandon Jackson, Brian Jackson, 28, and Gabriell Ward, 25, are charged with tampering with physical evidence and abandonment of a corpse.
The remains of Wilbert J. Irving, 39, of Spanish Lake, were found near the Maple Island Access around 7 a.m.
Police say Brandon Jackson, Bennett and Ward lived in the basement of a home in the 1700 block of Woodstream in North County as a tenant of Irving.
Brandon Jackson asked Irving if a third person could move in with them. Police said Irving rejected the idea and the two got into an argument before Jackson allegedly pulled out a gun and shot Irving four times. He is accused of then kicking him while he was dying on the ground, saying "I told you I was going to kill you."
Police said Brandon Jackson, Bennett and Ward then tied Irving up and dragged him to the garage so they could dispose of the body. They tried but were unable to put Irving in his own taxi cab. Police allege the three then cleaned up the crime scene, putting items in a plastic bag.
The three then allegedly drove Irving's cab to pick up Brandon's brother Brain Jackson before going to a gas station to get gas. Police say they then lit the bag with items from the crime scene on fire and dumped it on a street in St. Louis County.
Police say the four then went back to the home on Woodstream, put Irving's body in the cab and drove to Melvin Price Access Road in West Alton.
The four then allegedly took Irving's body out of the car and set it on fire and dumped it before driving to St. Louis City where they are accused of leaving the cab.
Officials said they are categorizing the death as 'suspicious.' They said an autopsy will be conducted to determine Irving's cause of death.
Brandon Jackson is being held on a $500,000 cash-only bond. The other three suspects are being held on a $100,000 cash-only bond.
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