Woman helped boyfriend kill their landlord during rent dispute, Missouri police say

More than a year after a 72-year-old landlord was found shot to death, a second person has been charged with murder, according to police in Missouri.

Officers with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department were called to a St. Louis street at about 11 a.m. March 8, 2022. When they arrived, they found Michael Kelly “suffering from multiple gunshot wounds” in a pickup truck, according to a news release.

Police said Kelly, of St. Ann, was pronounced dead at the scene.

One week later, authorities announced they arrested James Cody, 27, on charges of first-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the shooting.

Now Cody’s girlfriend has been accused of helping kill their landlord, who had crashed into his real estate office after being shot, KSDK reported.

Deseray Rabb, 27, was recently arrested on charges of first-degree murder and armed criminal action, according to a news release from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.

Police said Rabb rented the Nissan sedan that was seen following Kelly’s truck before he was shot, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. In the video, Cody was seen approaching Kelly’s truck before the truck was struck by gunfire.

Rabb told police she drove the rental car, KSDK reported, and Cody said he shot their landlord.

The couple was involved in “an ongoing dispute over unpaid rent” prior to the fatal shooting, according to court records obtained by the Post-Dispatch.

Cody’s trial is scheduled to begin April 17, KMOV reported.

This story was originally published April 4, 2023 at 11:02 AM with the headline "Woman helped boyfriend kill their landlord during rent dispute, Missouri police say."