Police say two French bulldogs were also stabbed but are expected to survive.
ST. LOUIS, MO — A Missouri man has been charged after his 81-year-old grandmother was found fatally stabbed inside a St. Louis County home shortly before 11 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 28, authorities said, adding that two family dogs were also wounded and a later standoff ended with the suspect’s arrest.
Investigators identified the victim as Fannie Allred. Her grandson, Ronald Allred, 37, faces first-degree murder and armed criminal action charges in St. Louis County, along with resisting arrest in the city. Police say he fled the neighborhood after the killing and was taken into custody hours later following a barricade at a gas station. The case is in its early phase, with detectives processing the home for evidence, canvassing nearby blocks and reviewing statements. The immediate stakes include formal court appearances, forensic results and the dogs’ recovery. Officials said more information will be released as reports are finalized and court filings move forward.
Police said officers were called to the 8500 block of Jenny Drive shortly before 11 a.m. Sunday for a report of an unconscious person. Inside the residence, officers found Fannie Allred on the floor with multiple stab wounds and pronounced her dead at the scene. Charging documents state she had been stabbed six times. Detectives determined her grandson had stayed at the home the night before. A pickup linked to him was later spotted near Calvary Cemetery. When a St. Louis County officer approached, the officer’s weapon discharged inside the patrol vehicle during the encounter, an incident city detectives are now reviewing. The truck sped away, and the search shifted north toward Union Boulevard.
By about 3:15 p.m., officers found the pickup at a gas station in the 4500 block of Union. Police said the driver barricaded himself in the vehicle, prompting a SWAT response and a street closure while negotiators worked. After roughly two hours, officers took the man into custody without reported injuries to bystanders. In a later interview, detectives said the suspect admitted to the stabbing after he was read his rights. The two French bulldogs were also found with stab wounds and, according to police, are expected to recover. “She felt like family,” neighbor Carolyn Johnson said, describing sleepless hours after learning what happened across the street.
Officials have not released a motive. Records indicate the city and county filed separate cases tied to the afternoon pursuit and the earlier killing. In addition to first-degree murder and armed criminal action, St. Louis County prosecutors charged two counts of animal abuse related to the dogs’ injuries. In the city, prosecutors filed two counts of resisting arrest tied to the flight and barricade. Police said a separate inquiry is examining the single round discharged by a county officer inside the patrol car during the initial contact; no one was struck by that round, and the internal review remains active. Bond for Ronald Allred was set at $500,000 cash-only, according to county jail records.
Public tributes grew outside the home as detectives moved door to door. Next-door neighbor Charlotte Howard said the victim had recently defeated cancer and was “a loving woman” known in the neighborhood as “granny.” Friends recalled seeing her on daily walks, even in cold weather, and at church on Sundays. Community members left flowers near the driveway while crime scene tape still ringed the yard. Officers collected footage from doorbell cameras and asked nearby residents for any images saved from Sunday morning. The dogs, both French bulldogs, were treated after the attack; authorities did not release where they were taken or provide further medical details.
St. Louis County Police described a timeline that began overnight with the grandson at the house and ended with the standoff hours after the 911 call. Detectives are building a case through physical evidence recovered from the home, autopsy findings and statements from relatives and neighbors. The Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the official cause and manner of death, though police say the victim suffered multiple stab wounds. Prosecutors typically review a full investigative packet before a grand jury presentation or a preliminary hearing. As of Thursday, no additional suspects were sought, and investigators said there was no indication of a broader threat to the neighborhood.
Court procedures now take center stage. A first appearance is expected in the coming days at the St. Louis County Justice Center in Clayton, where a judge will review the charges and bond conditions. A preliminary hearing in county court is set for Jan. 26, when prosecutors are expected to outline probable cause in open court unless a grand jury indictment or plea intervenes sooner. Defense representation had not been listed in online dockets by press time. Separate city cases linked to the pursuit and barricade typically proceed on a parallel track, with coordination between agencies on scheduling and transport while the defendant remains in county custody.
Family members and longtime neighbors continued to gather on the block as detectives wrapped up scene processing. “The kindest woman that you could ever meet,” Howard said, pausing near a growing cluster of flowers and candles. Johnson said the neighborhood “won’t be the same” and described the 81-year-old as someone who “would give the shirt off her back.” Police patrols increased in the area through midweek, with officers speaking briefly to drivers and pedestrians passing the tape. Several residents said they planned to offer support for relatives caring for the injured dogs once they return home.
As of Thursday afternoon, the suspect remained jailed on the $500,000 cash-only bond while investigators prepared reports and lab submissions. The next public milestone is the county court setting for Jan. 26. Officials said more details, including autopsy findings and any additional filings, will be released in the court record when available.
Author note: Last updated January 2, 2026.