by The Collective

A string of deaths of prominent Ferguson activists and their relatives, as well as others who were murdered in a similar fashion, has left lingering questions about the circumstances. Given the recent detainment (with no justification given) of Iranian state TV journalist Marzieh Hashemi, who was working on a documentary about the murders, it’s worth re-examining the existing cases. We couldn’t find a comprehensive list placing the cases side-by-side, so we put this together. Some of the victims were notable figures in the protest movement, while others are related tangentially or by the strange nature of their deaths. If you know of any other relevant cases, please let us know. This list will be updated.

Darnell Robinson September 4th, 2014

St. Louis, MO

Robinson was found in a car with a gunshot wound to the head. The car was on fire. Three people have been charged with his murder.

DeAndre Joshua November 24th, 2014

Ferguson, MO

Joshua, who was not a confirmed participant in the protests, was found in his car with a gunshot wound to the head. The car was on fire.

Antonio Jones November 10th, 2014

East St. Louis, MO

Jones, a Ferguson resident, was found with two gunshot wounds to the abdomen in the trunk of a burning car.

Vincent Cascella February 15th, 2015

St. Louis, MO

Though it has not been determined that he was involved in any protests, Cascella was found in a car with a gunshot wound to the chest. The car was on fire.

Darren Seals September 6th, 2016

St. Louis, MO

Seals, a well-known Ferguson activist, was found in his car with a gunshot wound to the head. The car was on fire. At the crime scene, police left behind a large amount of evidence, including shell casings.

Edward Crawford May 5th, 2017

St. Louis, MO

Crawford, who appeared in an iconic photo from the protests, was found with a gunshot wound to the head in the back of his car. Police are treating his death as a suicide.

Antonio Sterling April 12th, 2018

Baton Rouge, LA

The cousin of Alton Sterling, who was shot to death by police in July 2016, Antonio Sterling was found in a car with a gunshot wound to the head. The car was on fire.

Danye Jones October 17th, 2018

Spanish Lake, MO

The son of Ferguson activist Melissa McKinnies, 24-year-old Danye Jones was found hanging by a bedsheet in his family’s backyard. He left a packed bag on the back porch, and the sheet was not from the family home. Police are investigating it as a suicide.

Bassem Masri November 27th, 2018

Bridgeton, MO

A prominent figure in the Ferguson protests, Masri was found unconscious and unresponsive on a bus around 11 in the morning. His death was reportedly from a heart attack.