DNA, witness ID lead to charges against St. Louis drug dealer in 2012 killing – STLtoday.com

ST. LOUIS A first-degree murder charge filed here Tuesday says a DNA match and witness identification have linked a convicted drug dealer to a 2012 fatal shooting in St. Louis.

Charles Billingsley, 26, who is in federal prison for drug trafficking, was charged in the May 17, 2012, shooting death of 19-year-old Lamar E. Miller.

Millers body was found behind the wheel of a black Ford Mustang in the 5400 block of Beacon Avenue in the citys Walnut Park East neighborhood, police said. He suffered a gunshot to the head.

Charges say a witness told Detective Scott Sailor that he had been in the back of the Mustang and saw Billingsley shoot Miller while Miller was driving.

DNA found inside the car was a match to Billingsley, and Millers DNA was found on clothing worn by Billingsley the day of the killing, the charges say.

Billingsley had given his clothing to someone for safekeeping, charges say, and the recipient at some point turned over the clothes to police, and told them Billingsley admitted killing Miller.

Billinglsey has been serving an eight-year term in federal prison since 2013 for several counts of marijuana trafficking and illegal possession of a firearm. He also has drug convictions in St. Louis County in 2009 and 2013.

His address in court records is in the first block of Chambers Road in St. Louis County, near Riverview. He also was charged Tuesday with armed criminal action, and cash bail was set at $500,000.

Miller lived in the 2000 block of East Prairie Avenue.

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DNA, witness ID lead to charges against St. Louis drug dealer in 2012 killing - STLtoday.com