Willie Latimore, Arson, Missouri 2023

ST. LOUIS – A brazen act of violence turned a St. Louis woman’s home into a blazing inferno, leaving her shaken and seeking refuge in a neighbor’s apartment. But for Willie Latimore, 27, the consequences of his actions have finally caught up with him.

Latimore, a St. Louis resident, was sentenced to 66 months in prison on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel for setting fire to his then-girlfriend’s apartment on May 11, 2023. The apartment, located on Washington Avenue downtown, was the scene of a terrifying ordeal that left the woman hiding for her life.

According to the police report, Latimore had threatened his girlfriend earlier that day with a gun, prompting her to seek safety at a neighbor’s apartment. But Latimore was not deterred, and he began attempting to kick down her apartment door. St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers were called to the scene and arrived to find smoke coming from the apartment. Latimore had piled clothing on the stove and set it on fire.

The Real Time Crime Center tracked Latimore’s car, and police arrested him later that day after a brief vehicle and foot chase. During the chase, Latimore dropped a handgun, which was later recovered by the police. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Finlen prosecuting the case.

Latimore pleaded guilty to one count of arson and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was also ordered to pay $7,087 to the owners of the apartment building. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence in communities across the country.

The PSN program, launched in 2021, focuses on fostering trust and legitimacy in communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring results. This case serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of violent crime and the importance of community-led initiatives to prevent such crimes from occurring in the first place.

As Willie Latimore begins serving his 66-month sentence, the people of St. Louis can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that justice has been served. But the question remains: what drove Latimore to commit such a heinous act, and how can we prevent similar crimes from happening in the future?

The people of St. Louis deserve to feel safe in their own homes, and it’s up to all of us to work together to make that a reality.

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