ST. LOUIS (KMOV/Gray News) – A St. Louis family is left with questions and heartbreak over the death of a grandfather who was fatally shot after offering a ride to a stranger who asked for help.
St. Louis Metropolitan Police say William Palmer was found shot just before 2:30 a.m. Sunday and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Palmer’s family says he was killed after offering a ride to a woman who asked for help getting to a warming shelter. They say he was “a giver,” known for helping others in need.
“I used to tell him all the time not to pick up people off the side of the road anymore. He did it a lot. If he saw someone walking, he was picking them up and taking them as far as he could,” said Palmer’s fiancée, Riyen Jones.
Police have identified the suspect in the case as 36-year-old Brittany Rivoire. She faces multiple charges, including first-degree murder, according to court records.
Palmer loved collecting scrap metal and was doing that Saturday night when he encountered Rivoire, his fiancée says.
“If there was a dumpster in sight, he was looking in it,” Jones said. “As far as we know, she asked him at a gas station to take her to a warming shelter because she was cold.”
Investigators say Palmer’s friend was also in the truck but got out at some point because he was concerned about Rivoire’s behavior.
Police say surveillance cameras later captured Rivoire shooting Palmer in the head. She allegedly drove his truck a few blocks before abandoning it.
“For somebody to take him for granted when all he was doing was helping her and then to do it to basically take his truck is… I can’t wrap my mind around it,” Jones said.
Jones says Palmer was “the glue to our family.” He leaves behind three children and a grandson.
The family says they have many questions about the series of events leading up to Palmer’s death and cannot rest, even with charges filed.
“Nothing’s ever gonna replace him. Nothing’s ever gonna fix the situation. We just want justice for him,” Jones said.
The family is raising money via GoFundMe for Palmer’s funeral arrangements.
Rivoire is being held in jail on no bond.
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