Terrell Cooks, 37, and Seneca Mahan, 43, are each charged with three counts of second-degree murder and several other charges in Friday’s blast near Black Jack, about a 30-minute drive north of St. Louis. Charges were issued before the fourth victim died on Saturday.
St. Louis County prosecutors say Cooks and Mahan made fireworks and instructed the younger ones to fill the canisters and attach a safety light. They then sold the fireworks to others, even though neither of them had a license to make or sell fireworks.
Researchers have identified him as Travell Eason, 16. Christopher Jones, 17; Damario Cooks, 18; and William Jones, 21.
Friday’s blast shook other homes and shattered neighbors’ windows. Authorities said a 12-year-old boy was also injured in the blast, but St. The Louis Post-Dispatch reported that police were unable to provide details Sunday on how many more are still being treated.
Court documents state that Cooks admitted that he and Mahan had made explosive devices designed to make a loud bang and a flash of light. Investigators saw Cooks move boxes of chemicals used to make explosives in his vehicle after Friday’s explosion and found large quantities of “complete explosive weapons and accessories for their construction” when they searched a home and other vehicles associated with them. Cooks.
The blast was so powerful that it shook other houses and shattered neighbors’ windows. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP
Cooks and Martin are being held on a $ 350,000 bond in cash only. It was not immediately clear if they had retained lawyers who could speak on their behalf.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
