Court Employee's Murder, Richmond Heights Burglary Among Top Crime Stories in 2012

To close out 2012, we at Clayton-Richmond Heights Patch dug through our web analytics to identify the top 12 crime stories on the site, as determined by number of visitors to each story. 

The stories are listed below, starting with the crime article that received the most readership in 2012. If you're interested in receiving more local news like this, please follow Patch on Facebook and sign up for our daily news alert.

1) CEO of Sterling Bank Accused of Breaking Wife's Leg

In December, the wife of Kenneth Poteet, CEO of Sterling Bank, spoke to FOX-2 about multiple incidents of domestic violence. Kenneth Poteet's attorney called the reports untrue and said the wife was after money.

2) 

In December, a man was robbed at knife-point by another man in the Saint Louis Galleria parking lot after the suspect placed a false Craigslist ad for an iPhone, according to Richmond Heights Police.

3) DWI Charge in Clayton is Man's Third Since 2000

In December, a St. Louis County man faced his third DWI charge since 2000 after a Clayton officer pulled him over on Clayton Road. Police said the man’s blood-alcohol content measured at .243, more than three times the legal limit.

4) 

A couple who admitted to committing at least four burglaries in Richmond Heights were arrested in June. Some of the loot includes three handguns: a Desert Eagle pistol, a .45-caliber pistol and a .44-caliber Magnum revolver, police stated.

5) 

In November, an Illinois man exposed his genitals on a webcam to a St. Louis County undercover officer, believing the officer to be a 14-year-old girl, police said. He was charged Nov. 26 with sexual misconduct involving a child as a second offense.

6) Man Charged With Murdering County Circuit Court Employee

A Ferguson man was charged in October with first-degree murder in the death of a St. Louis County employee. The victim, Deidre Exum, 51, worked as a civilian security guard at the St. Louis County Circuit Court building in Clayton.

7) 

A Clayton man was charged with assault and unlawful use of a weapon after police said he shook his wife, pushed her into a cabinet and threatened her with a knife in November.

8) Mother Charged with Beating 7-Year-Old with Chair Leg

A Richmond Heights woman "inflicted cruel and inhuman punishment" upon her child in April, charges from the prosecuting attorney's office state.

9) Bottle Assault at Clayton Cafe Results in Charges

In April, a Ladue man was charged with assault and armed criminal action after police said he threw a bottle and hit another man in the head at Cafe Napoli in Clayton.

10) Police: Woman Recants Claim of Assault by Fake Cop

A woman who reported being assaulted in September by a man who appeared to be a police officer recanted her report after investigators found inconsistencies in her statement, police said. She was later charged with filing a false report.

11) Police: Burglar Smashes Car Through Closed Garage Door in Clayton Home

In September, a man smashed a car through a closed garage door in Clayton after the homeowner confronted him during a burglary, police said.

12) Robbery Attempt Halted at Clayton Hotel Bar

In June, an employee of the Crowne Plaza Hotel sprayed the bartender with pepper spray and grabbed cash before being stopped in his tracks, Clayton police said.