Olivette Area Resident Charged in Megan Boken Murder

An Olivette area resident was charged Friday in connection with the death of 23-year-old Megan Boken, a former Saint Louis University volleyball player who was shot and killed Saturday in the Central West End.

Johnathan Terrell Perkins, 18, lives in the 1400 block of Wibracht Place in unincorporated St. Louis County, just outside Olivette. He has been charged with second-degree murder, second-degree armed robbery and two counts of Armed Criminal Action.

Keith V. Esters of Bel Ridge was also charged in connection with Boken's murder. He faces counts of first-degree murder, first-degree attempted robbery, and two counts of armed criminal action.

According to St. Louis Public Radio, Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce presented the following timeline of events for the tragic event. 

Note: all of the events as described below are only alleged until convictions have been made in a court of law:

• Johnathan Perkins agreed to drive Keith Esters to the Central West End to commit a robbery.
• Perkins drove Esters to the Central West End. Once there, Esters that he saw Megan Boken speaking on her cell phone and decided that she would be the target of a robbery (the statement says Esters stated this to police).
• Esters approached Boken with a handgun, and during the course of attempting to take her property, Esters shot Boken twice.
• An eye witness observed Keith Esters running from the scene immediately after Boken was shot. The same witness positively identified Esters as the person running from the scene.
• Boken was found dead inside her vehicle. She was shot two times in the chest and neck.

Boken, a 2011 Saint Louis University graduate was in town to play in an alumni volleyball match. 

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department released the following statement on its Facebook page: 

Due to the assistance of the community and witnesses, as well as the efforts of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police detectives, today the Circuit Attorney’s Office issued warrants against Keith Esters, 18, for 2nd Degree Murder, 2nd Degree Attempted Robbery, and 2 counts of Armed Criminal Action; and Jonathan Perkins, 18, for 1st Degree Murder, 1st Degree Attempted Robbery, and 2 counts of Armed Criminal Action for the murder of Megan Boken. Both subjects are being held without bond.

See our previous stories on the shooting: