Rico Paul was convicted of 1st degree murder in the shooting death of St. Louis American circulation manager Paul Reiter today.
20 year old Rico Paul was accused of shooting and killing 58 year old Paul Reiter outside the victim’s Dutchtown neighborhood home in the early morning hours of May 9, 2011.
Reiter served as the circulation manager for more than two decades.
Prosecutors say Reiter was fatally shot after he confronted Paul who was trying to break into a neighboring home in the 5000 block of Idaho.
Reiter was in the process of making a 911 call to police to notify them of his neighbor’s home being burglarized when Paul allegedly opened fire, then ran.
This past December Paul stood trial in St. Louis Circuit Court. But after a week of testimony, the jurors could not reach a unanimous verdict, and the judge declared a mistrial.
He was also convicted of armed criminal action, and attempted burglary.
Paul’s sentencing is set for Sept. 17.
