Missouri Man Charged with Double Murder in Killing of Pregnant Woman and Unborn Child in Front of Five Children

Prosecutors charged 28-year-old Vanier J. Jones with two counts of murder and other felony charges in the deaths of a pregnant woman and her unborn child.

A 28-year-old man, Vanier J. Jones, has been arrested and charged in Missouri for the brutal killing of a 35-year-old pregnant woman, Christina Lynn Rentchler, and her unborn child. The fatal shooting took place inside a St. Louis residence as five children, all under the age of 10, reportedly witnessed the horrifying act.

According to court documents, Jones faces two counts of first-degree murder, along with charges of armed criminal action, first-degree assault, endangering the welfare of a child, and unlawful possession of a firearm. Authorities say the deadly incident occurred on April 23, 2025, in the 4100 block of Farlin Avenue in St. Louis.

Responding officers with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department discovered Rentchler inside the home with multiple gunshot wounds, including a fatal shot to the back of the head. Emergency services were unable to save her or her unborn child. A medical examiner later confirmed that Rentchler was in her second trimester at the time of her death and that the unborn child also died as a result of the shooting.

A probable cause affidavit detailed the traumatic circumstances, revealing that five juveniles, ages 2 to 10, were present during the shooting. Several of the children were Rentchler’s biological children. Investigators interviewed the oldest child, who identified Jones as the shooter. The child stated that Jones had recently been staying at the house and grew angry before shooting Rentchler. She told authorities she survived by pretending to be dead during the attack and overheard Jones asking where their mother was before committing the murder.

Jones was later taken into custody and denied any involvement, claiming to have been with another individual at the time of the shooting. However, police interviewed the person identified as “Witness 1,” who stated that they were not with Jones during the homicide and that Jones had confessed to killing a woman.

Jones remains in custody as investigations continue. Prosecutors are expected to pursue full legal accountability given the gravity of the crime, especially due to the involvement of children and the loss of both a mother and her unborn child.