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ST. CHARLES, Mo. – As the family, friends, and neighbors of the Kasten family struggle to cope with the murder of Kate, Zoe, Jonathan Kasten, and their grandmother, Jane Campbell, the St. Charles Police Department and St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office are still investigating the circumstance of the fatal shootings.

The murders took place Friday night just before midnight at a home on Whetstone Drive.

Officers from the St. Charles Police Department were summoned to a house for a shooting call. Police noticed a suspicious white Chevrolet Silverado in the driveway running as a man entered the vehicle and left. Officers put out a description of the vehicle and it was located a couple of miles from the residence.

Police followed the pick-up truck until it stopped at Cheshire and Muegge. They demanded the driver, 46-year-old Richard Emery, exit the truck and show his hands. Emery got out of the vehicle with a handgun and fired at the officers, striking a police vehicle eight times. Officers returned fire and Emery fled on foot into a wooded area.

Authorities at the residence on Whetstone Drive entered the home and discovered four people suffering from gunshot wounds. Three of the victims died at the scene and one was in critical condition. That person was rushed to the hospital where they later died.

Police identified the victims as 8-year-old Zoe J. Kasten, 10-year-old Jonathan D. Kasten, 39-year-old Kate Kasten, and 61-year-old Jane Moeckel.

The suspect, Richard Emery, then attempted to carjack a woman, telling her, “I gotta get out of here!” He stabbed her in the torso several times but failed to take the vehicle. The carjacking victim gave police a description of Emery’s clothing before she was taken to the hospital. She was expected to survive.

The Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis was activated to aid in the manhunt for Emery. Around 7:30 a.m. Saturday, a caller told officers that Emery was at a nearby QuikTrip and was bleeding heavily. Officers arrived at the QuikTrip and took Emery into custody after they found him in a bathroom suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was then brought to a hospital.

While in custody at the hospital, Emory was advised of his rights and questioned by detectives about the location of the handgun and knife he had used. He told officers that he had tossed the gun while crossing Muegge Road and ditched the knife in the grass on a car lot near the QuikTrip.

During his conversation with detectives, Emery asked if the lady was ok. An officer said, “The lady you tried to carjack?” Emery allegedly replied, “yes.”

Later, Emery asked the officers at the hospital if they were the ones he had shot at and was told no; however, they were friends of the officers. Emery then asked if he wounded any of the officers before apologizing for shooting at them.

Using information from Emery, officers recovered both the handgun and knife.

Emery was charged with 15 felony counts, including murder, armed criminal action, and assault.

“This is the worst example of a domestic violence case,” St. Charles Prosecuting Attorney Tim Lohmar said.

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