Family of Missouri man allegedly killed by Memphis murder suspect speaks

Published

2 years ago

May 24, 2024

Family of Missouri man allegedly killed by Memphis murder suspect speaks

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) – U.S. Marshals and Memphis Police captured 18-year-old Demario Wilson two days ago and charged him with murder in the death of a Missouri father.

Authorities say the robbery turned shooting all happened over a gaming system, but the significant other of the man he’s accused of killing tells Action News 5, a different story.

Wilson is charged two counts of first degree murder and other robbery charges for the killing Homero Pena, Jr.

Pena came down to Memphis with someone he thought was a friend.

His significant other tells Action News 5 she believes he was set up.

“I didn’t find out until later on that night what really happened to him,” said Kaitlyn Puga, Homero Pena’s significant other.

Kaitlyn Puga’s life hasn’t been the same since the father of her children was killed April 18th.

“He was really a good father,” said Puga. “The kids I guess they know that he’s gone now. That was everything to them.”

Kaitlyn and Homero Pena, Jr. had been dating since the fifth grade and share two daughters together with a third on the way.

Memphis Police say 18-year-old Demario Wilson shot and killed Pena at Summit Arbors Circle near Covington Pike.

Puga says Pena and a friend drove from Kennett, Missouri to Memphis to exchange this car with Harris and others, but she urged him not to go.

“I believe that he told the dudes from Memphis, that Hermero took the car and basically took him down there, basically was a set up.”

U.S. Marshalls say a witness claims the shootout began over a gaming system but Puga doesn’t believe that and an affidavit from Memphis Police paints a different picture.

According to the affidavit, Harris shot Pena five times.

Harris and two other people took car keys, a phone and cash from Pena after shooting him.

The affidavit also says the friend who was with Pena was also robbed of this phone and a Dodge Charger.

Police knew who Wilson was a witness identified him in a lineup, according to the affidavit.

He was arrested by the U.S. Marshall’s May 21st.

Wilson has an extensive criminal history. Police say he was arrested in November 2023 for a string of car thefts in East Memphis and running from police.

Court records show that case was dismissed by Judge Bill Anderson.

Wilson was then charged for several vehicle burglaries that same month. Court records show he was indicted in March 2024, an arrest warrant was issued.

Wilson was charged May 21st for shooting up an apartment with a handgun with an extended magazine, that allegedly happened on May 14, after police took him into custody for Homero Pena’s murder.

Memphis Police tell Action News 5 there is an arrest warrant out for a second suspect.

Meanwhile Kaitlyn and Homero’s are hoping for more arrests and information for this case as they continue to grieve.

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Safeguarding health care in rural Missouri demands a new approach

Published

10 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Press Room

Safeguarding health care in rural Missouri demands a new approach

Missouri lawmakers are right to treat the collapse of rural health care as an urgent crisis. Nearly half of the state’s remaining rural hospitals are at risk of closure, and many communities already know what it means to lose emergency rooms, labor and delivery services and timely stroke care. In this environment, legislation allowing MU […]

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Missouri

Montgomery County man pleads guilty in child death involving fentanyl

Published

23 hours ago

April 13, 2026

Press Room

Montgomery County man pleads guilty in child death involving fentanyl

A man charged after a 2-year-old was found dead under his care pleaded guilty to charges including murder in connection to the child’s death.

Bryan Danter, identified in court documents as the child’s father, pleaded guilty to second-degree felony murder, second-degree drug trafficking and unlawful possession of a firearm, according to court records.

Danter was charged in September 2024 with drug trafficking and child endangerment counts after state troopers found a 2-year-old child dead in an apartment, according to previous KOMU 8 reporting.

After investigators concluded the child died of exposure to fentanyl, a felony murder charge was added to the case, according to previous reporting. An individual can be charged with felony murder in Missouri when someone dies during the perpetration of a felony.

The probable cause statement filed at the time described guns discovered by state troopers during the child death investigation.

The guns included a pump-action shotgun, a semi-automatic shotgun and a semi-automatic .22- caliber rifle. Troopers said the serial number on the rifle had been sanded off, according to previous reporting.

Since Danter was previously convicted in a felony case and is not allowed to own firearms by law.

Danter has a sentencing hearing scheduled for 9 a.m. June 12.

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Missouri

Missouri women’s basketball adds high-major starting point guard transfer

Published

1 day ago

April 13, 2026

Press Room

Missouri women’s basketball adds high-major starting point guard transfer

Make that two signings for Kellie Harper’s team in the opening week of the transfer portal.

Missouri women’s basketball landed a commitment Sunday from Indiana point guard Nevaeh Caffey, who announced her decision to sign with the Tigers via social media. Caffey is a native of Warrenton, Missouri, who started all 32 Hoosiers games last season as a true freshman.

The Tigers have now made two additions out of the transfer portal since the window opened April 6, with Caffey joining Michigan transfer and freshman shooting guard McKenzie Mathurin.

Caffey is from the St. Louis area and played her high school at Incarnate Word Academy, winning 139 straight games and four straight MSHSAA Class 6 titles with the powerhouse. She was named Miss Show-Me Basketball as a senior in 2025.

In 32 starts, averaging 32.1 minutes on the floor per game, Caffey scored 8.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.0 turnovers per game. The 5-foot-10 shot 41.7% from 3-point range on 36 total attempts, and she averaged 3.3 free-throw attempts per game with a 81.3% clip.

Point guard — and guard depth at large — looked likely to be a target area for the Tigers in this transfer window, which will remain open for new entries through April 21.

The Tigers can return Averi Kroenke, who sustained a season-ending injury before the Tigers’ season-opener last year, and have a top-100 high school prospect in Natalya Hodge with the ability to run the point.

With high-major starting experience, Caffey sets up to find a prominent spot in the rotation next year in Columbia.

Five Missouri players have entered the portal and will transfer out of the program this offseason, including core rotation members in guards Chloe Sotell and Shannon Dowell. If there had been no outward movement, Mizzou would not have had any room to work in the transfer portal due to the NCAA’s 15-player roster limit for college basketball programs.

Mizzou has now filled two of those five possible open roster spots.

Frontcourt depth is now the clear-and-obvious major need for Mizzou. The Tigers need experience at both forward and center to round out their roster.

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