A 15-year-old Missouri girl was shot dead in a ‘drug deal gone wrong’ when a gunman opened fire in the car she was in with friends, two teens have been arrested for the murder.
Lydia Elking and a 17-year-old boy, whose name has not been released, planned to meet two men in Lake St. Louis on Saturday night.
It was unclear what the reason for the meeting was, but when the couple arrived, two other teens walked over to their car and attempted to rob them.
One of the teens pulled out a gun and fired into the car, hitting Elking in the chest and she later died in hospital. Two teenagers, 16 and 17, were arrested on suspicion of murder.
Lydia Elking, a 15-year-old Missouri girl, was fatally shot during a “drug deal gone wrong” when one of the gunmen opened fire on the car she was in. The shooting took place near Oak Avenue and Perry Street in a residential area
Surveillance footage of the car Elking had been traveling in as a passenger before the fatal shooting
A view of the street – during the day – where Elking was shot
Elking was in the passenger seat. The shooting took place near Oak Avenue and Perry Street in a residential area.
The driver of the vehicle rushed Elking to a hospital, but she died soon after. The next day, the two teenage suspects were arrested.
Their names have not been released due to their ages, but both have been charged with second-degree murder, robbery, assault and armed criminal action in connection with the February 18 murder.
Prosecutors said this was all part of a “drug deal gone wrong,” but it’s unclear at this point whether Elking was involved or an innocent victim. The suspects on video are 16 and 17 years old.
‘Unnecessary tragedy where we lost a teen’s life,’ said St. Charles County Prosecutor Tim Lomar KMOV St. Louis.
Lomar said his office was involved in this case before they even found out the suspects were children, and now the family court is deciding what happens next.
“I feel in this case that because of the seriousness of the offense because of the potential danger to the community, this is exactly the kind of case where these individuals should be certified and are likely to be certified,” he said.
Lomar said there will be a mandatory process to see if the boys will be charged as adults, but when that will happen is unknown.
Elking was described by her friends and family as a “talented” footballer and a “kind” and “loving” person.
Her sister Dani wrote in a heartbreaking post in a GoFundMe calling her younger sister “perfect” and a “precious daughter and sister.”
“There aren’t enough words in the world to describe how perfect she was,” her sister said.
“She was kind and loving, a friend to many. She has touched SO many lives with her radiant energy and beautiful smile,” she wrote
“My family is feeling so much emptiness and pain right now. We are absolutely devastated and would like to give Lydia the memory she deserves to say our final goodbyes.”
She was a great football player (a starter on her high school varsity team as a freshman),’ she said.
“She was so smart, kind, sincere and generous. She was an adventurer, she wrote in part.
“Lydia was always eager to see what the world had to offer. She loved meeting new people, making new friends and creating lasting memories.
She was always looking for ways to create fun experiences with those she loved the most. Her beautiful spirit and love for the world and its people will never be forgotten.”
The family said the money raised will go towards funeral expenses and the grieving process.
As of Tuesday afternoon, more than $104,000 has been raised, exceeding their original goal of $100,000.
The family has set up a GoFundMe, the money raised will go towards funeral expenses and the grieving process. As of Tuesday afternoon, more than $104,000 has been raised, exceeding their original goal of $100,000
Elking was a talented football player and remembered as a kind and loving young woman with an infectious smile
Elking was a sophomore at Liberty High, and the Wentzville School District wrote about how sad they were.
“We are heartbroken by the loss of a member of our Liberty High School family,” they wrote. “Our thoughts are with her loved ones at this time.”
Liberty High’s girls’ soccer coach, Heidi Kleekamp, who had known Elking since 2013 when she played varsity and junior varsity, was devastated when she heard the news. “I was just getting to know her,” she said.
“She’s the sweetest child ever. She’s a super hard worker, I think people would definitely describe her as having a bubbly personality, very outgoing, with a smile that lit up the room.”
Holleigh Vohsen, a sophomore at Liberty High School, was a close friend of Ekling’s.
She told the Postal Service St. Louis the pair spent every day together, often visiting some of Elking’s favorite spots, such as Target and Starbucks.
“She was great,” Vohsen said. “Like she could just heal you with her smile.”
On February 21, hundreds gathered at Liberty High where they released a balloon and prayed to pay their final respects – in memory of a promising young woman who left them far too soon.
On Thursday, the family will hold a visit to Baue Funeral Home – Cave Springs in St. Charles and a funeral Mass on Friday at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Dardenne, Missouri.
Our beloved little sister and daughter, Lydia Elking, was innocently shot and killed on February 18, 2023.
