Couple charged in fatal shooting of 17-year-old on her way to zoo

Key Points:

• Willie Herndon, 43, and Taiya Herndon, 45, from Texas have been arrested and charged in connection with the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Alyssa Wilson on Interstate 170 in St. Louis on October 14.
• Willie Herndon faces charges of first-degree murder, armed criminal action, and felon in possession of a firearm, while Taiya Herndon is charged with hindering prosecution for allegedly helping her husband evade authorities after the shooting.
• Wilson was shot in the back and chest while driving to meet a friend, causing her to crash; she was pronounced dead at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Investigators have found no known relationship between the Herndons and Wilson.
• Surveillance footage showed a white Buick Enclave pulling over on the highway, with a suspect firing a gunshot into Wilson's vehicle before fleeing the scene. Police later linked the Herndons to the vehicle and recovered a firearm from their hotel room.
• Authorities are investigating a possible connection between Wilson's shooting and another vehicle shooting on October 11, as shell casings from both scenes share the same manufacturer; further testing is underway to determine if the same weapon was used.