Gunman found guilty in slaying of 3 adults, wounding child

ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis man who fatally shot three adults and critically injured a young child in June last year has been found guilty of murder.

Jerome Leon Buress Jr. was convicted Thursday of two counts of first-degree murder, one count of second-degree murder, one count of assault and four counts of armed criminal action.

Prosecutors say Buress walked up to a car and shot 24-year-old Jessica Garth and 27-year-old Derrick Irving in front of their daughters. He then fatally shot 37-year-old Julian Hayes as he tried to escape and shot 7-year-old Deniya Irving in the head. She survived but suffered brain damage. Her 5-year-old sister was not injured.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports the younger girl, now 6, testified that Deniya laid over her to protect her from the bullets.

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Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, http://www.stltoday.com