On a summer evening in St. Louis, the lives of two young cousins were cut tragically short in a burst of violence that continues to baffle investigators. Andre Randolph, a 24-year-old man, was shot and killed alongside his cousin, 26-year-old Sylvester Phillips III, on Saturday, July 1, 2023. Their deaths marked another grim entry in the city's homicide count for the year, leaving a family to mourn the loss of two of its members at once.
The double homicide occurred inside an apartment in the 700 block of Carr Street. This area is part of the Columbus Square neighborhood, a community just north of the city's downtown core, situated near the Dome at America's Center. That evening, officers from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department were called to the scene where they made the devastating discovery. Both Andre and Sylvester had been fatally wounded by gunfire.
The specific circumstances that led to the shooting have not been released to the public, and the motive remains unknown.
The investigation into the murders of Andre Randolph and Sylvester Phillips III was immediately launched by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department's Homicide Division. Detectives processed the scene within the Carr Street apartment, searching for clues and physical evidence that could point to a suspect or explain the events of that night. Despite their efforts, the case has grown cold, with no arrests made and no publicly identified persons of interest. The weapon used in the killings has not been recovered, and details about potential witnesses or forensic findings have been kept confidential to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation.
The lack of resolution has left the families of Andre and Sylvester in a state of prolonged grief, waiting for answers and for justice to be served. The silence surrounding the case is a heavy burden for those who knew and loved the two young men. Without a suspect in custody, the community is also left with a sense of unease, knowing that the person or people responsible for the violent deaths of two men remain at large.
As of September 2025, more than two years after the cousins were killed, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department continues to list the double homicide as an open and unsolved case. Investigators are still searching for the crucial piece of information that could break the stalemate. The passage of time has not diminished the need for justice or the hope that someone will come forward with a tip.
Authorities urge anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to contact them. St. Louis Regional CrimeStoppers is offering a reward for anonymous tips that lead to an arrest in the case. Tipsters can contact the Homicide Division directly or remain anonymous by calling CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS (8477) or submitting a tip through their website. The family and police are hopeful that a witness will finally step forward and help bring a resolution to this painful and unsolved crime.
