Jesse Taylor, 73, was shot to death in his shop, at 4631 St. Louis Avenue in the city’s Greater Ville neighborhood.
Police said witnesses inside the store told them that two young men, who asked about T-shirts, threatened him with pistols and — after he handed over cash — shot him as he stood behind his sales counter.
The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Police sought the robbers, described only as in their early 20s, and three accomplices who fled with them in a waiting car.
A native of Mississippi, Taylor moved to St. Louis as a young man. After he retired 21 years ago from the old Swift & Co. packing house near East St. Louis, he opened his Dry Goods and Novelty Shop, which sold t-shirts, hats, candy, umbrellas and other items.
It’s at St. Louis and Cora avenues, a small neighborhood intersection.
According to a representative of the St. Louis Police North Patrol Division, Taylor cooperated with the robbers and gave them an undisclosed sum of money moments before he was shot several times. Police said they ran to an old blue compact car, occupied by three other men, which was driven away east on St. Louis.
Taylor was married to Shirley Taylor and was a longtime member of Kossuth Church of God in Christ in St. Louis.