15-year-old sentenced to 20 years in prison for carjacking murder of St. Louis woman

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - A 15-year-old has been sentenced to two decades in state prison after pleading guilty to murder in the case of a woman shot in front of her young daughter during an attempted carjacking in 2023 in south St. Louis.

Brian Wellington on Monday pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, first-degree attempted robbery and armed criminal action in the Jan. 24, 2023, death of 37-year-old Kay Johnson in 4700 block of Compton in the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood.

The Circuit Attorney’s Office has charged 14-year-old Brian Wellington with murder, attempted... — The Circuit Attorney’s Office has charged 14-year-old Brian Wellington with murder, attempted robbery and two counts of armed criminal action.(SLMPD)

Following the plea, St. Louis Circuit Judge Timothy Boyer sentenced Wellington to 20 years in prison. Boyer ordered that Wellington be transferred from the juvenile facility where he was awaiting trial to the St. Louis Criminal Justice Center.

Wellington will be confined at the criminal justice center until he can be transferred to the Missouri Department of Corrections, Boyer ordered.

Wellington is one of two juveniles accused in the death of Johnson. DeShaun Harris, who was 15 when charged as an adult in 2023, is awaiting trial on counts of second-degree murder and armed criminal action in Johnson’s death.

DeShaun Harris is accused of murder in the city of St. Louis(SLMPD)

St. Louis Metropolitan Police said in charging affidavits that Johnson and her daughter were pulling up to their garage when confronted by Wellington and Harris, who were trying to steal her car. When she refused, Harris allegedly fired into the car killing her in front of her daughter, who was 14 at the time and sitting in the enger seat.

The killing was captured on surveillance video and audio, according to police.

A trial date for Harris has not been set.