Man Charged With 2nd Degree Murder of Ballwin-Area Resident

Chester Romelle Woods, 20, has been charged with second-degree murder and robbery in the shooting death of Daniil Maksimenko, 22, who lived outside Ballwin, St. Louis County Police said.

Maksimenko, who graduated from in 2008, was confronted and shot multiple times, including in the head, while out on a pizza delivery call in Hillsdale around 12:45 a.m. Saturday.

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Woods, of the 2100 block of Rosebud Avenue in St. Louis County, is being held on $250,000 bail at the St. Louis County jail, according to police.

Authorities said he made his first court appearance Monday, but was actually charged on Sunday.

Woods is not charged with the actual shooting of Maksimenko. Investigators are still searching for more suspects, including the gunman.

Rick Eckhard, spokesperson for the St. Louis County Police Department, tells Patch detectives have identified one person they want to talk to in connection to the shooting, Shermell A. Crockett. A photo of Crockett is included in the photo section of this article. Police said in a news release that Crockett, 20, is known to stay in the Hillsdale and Pine Lawn area.

"Shermell Crockett is only WANTED for questioning about the incident.  No Warrants have been issued charging him with a crime," the release states.

"We are looking for him as far as questioning," Eckhard said. "We believe four people are involved with this. Woods and three others. Right now, we only have the second person identified, Shermell Crockett. It's very possible there could be two more people involved, or not."

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Woods confessed to police his involvement in the case, but he is not the gunman. The Post reports, that court records indicate Maksimenko was robbed at gunpoint by Woods and three others and was robbed only of the pizza. Previously, Hillsdale police reported 

"We don't know at this point if anything else was taken," Eckhard said. "Could he have been robbed of other items, sure, but we don't know, he's deceased."

A press release sent out by Eckhard Tuesday afternoon states that robbery appears to be the motive.

"I don't know if we'll every really truly know the motive, even after these individuals are in custody," Eckhard said. 

However, for now, Eckhard said that's what detectives need to do, identify and round up suspects and they need the public's help to do so.

"We're waiting for people to call us with information to help us identify the other two people," Eckhard said Monday.

Anyone with information is asked to contact St. Louis County Police Dispatch at 314 889-2341. St. Louis County police are investigating and dispatch for the Hillsdale Police Department.

Anonymous tips can also be called in to Crime Stoppers at 866-371-TIPS. 
Crime Stoppers offers a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to a 
felony arrest. Tips must be submitted to CrimeStoppers to receive the reward.