Tennessee Man Sentenced to 13 Years for Fatal St. Louis Shooting

When Daniel Hughes was gunned down while standing on a St. Louis sidewalk on an April afternoon in 2024, investigators faced a stark digital puzzle. Years of technological integration in urban policing eventually cracked that silence, leading directly to Thursday’s courtroom resolution.

Anthony Tobias-Haywood, 31, of Tennessee, was sentenced to 13 years in prison after pleading guilty to 11 felony counts, including second-degree murder and armed criminal action. First Alert 4 reported the details of the sentencing, confirming that the case concluded in a St. Louis court with Circuit Judge John T. Bird accepting the plea agreement.

Digital Forensics and the Hamilton Avenue Shooting

The investigation into the April 22, 2024, killing on the 1600 block of Hamilton Avenue relied heavily on modern forensic tracking. Police utilized a combination of video surveillance, automated license plate readers, and GPS data extracted from a rental car to place Tobias-Haywood at the scene. Court records show that investigators also traced his mobile phone activity, noting it was switched off immediately before the shooting and powered back on afterward.

Initially facing a first-degree murder charge with a trial slated for December, Tobias-Haywood ultimately accepted the negotiated plea for second-degree murder. The legal fallout extended well beyond the initial homicide investigation.

Concurrent Sentences and Subsequent Arrests

Prosecutors detailed a separate June 2025 incident where Tobias-Haywood faced law enforcement attempts to arrest him in connection with the homicide. During that encounter, he picked up additional charges, subsequently pleading guilty to aggravated fleeing along with several weapons and narcotics violations.

Under the terms of the plea agreement accepted by Judge Bird, the sentences for the June 2025 offenses will run concurrently with the 13-year prison term handed down for the homicide. Court documents indicate he will also receive credit for approximately 16 months of jail time already served.