From a Ste. Genevieve County Sheriff’s Office news release
STE GENEVIEVE — A 19-year-old Ste. Genevieve man has been charged with first degree assault and armed criminal action in connection with the wounding of a man with an arrow.
The Ste. Genevieve County Sheriff’s Office reports Jack Thomas Farlow, is being held in the Ste. Genevieve County Jail on a $100,000 cash only bond.
On Wednesday, October 9, 2024, at approximately 2311 hours (11:10 p.m.), deputies overheard radio traffic of an incident in the city limits of Ste. Genevieve, involving a male individual who was shot in the chest with an arrow.
Deputies arrived on scene at approximately 2313 hours (11:13 p.m.), and observed a white male with an arrow lodged into his chest. The victim was being treated by Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and was ultimately flown to a St. Louis-area Hospital.
Deputies spoke with a witness who was with the victim during the incident. The witness explained earlier in the evening of October 9, he and the victim came from Illinois in order to buy cigarettes, since it was cheaper in Missouri. They traveled to the BP gas station, located at 599 Ste. Genevieve Drive, and purchased a large number of cigarettes.
The witness explained there were some younger individuals in the store while they were there, who followed them when they left. The witness explained he and the victim traveled south on U.S. Highway 61, and the truck the individuals got into was directly behind honking and flashing their lights at them.
The witness explained they were just trying to get back home and was frightened by being followed in the manner they were. The witness explained at one point the truck was driving alongside them, when the rear driver side window of his truck shattered, and the victim said they shot him. The witness explained the truck that had been following him continued traveling south, and he and the victim ultimately turned around and traveled back towards Ste. Genevieve and eventually stopped at Rhodes 101 to call for help.
Deputies would contact the clerk of BP, who recalled some of the events which occurred. The clerk explained the witness and the victim arrived to the BP fuel station and purchased some alcohol and a large quantity of cigarettes. The clerk explained during this time period the younger individuals had arrived at the store. The clerk explained the younger individuals are regular customers and are there most nights, however, the clerk did not know their names. The clerk explained the younger individuals were engaging in conversation with the witness and the victim, mentioning the odd purchase of the large quantity of cigarettes.
The clerk explained when the witness and the victim left and drove away, the younger individuals followed them away from the store. This information was consistent with information obtained from the witness.
Deputies contacted the BP store manager, who indicated she would be there shortly to review the surveillance footage with me.
On Thursday, 10/10/2024, at 1220 hours, deputies contacted the manager, who reviewed the stores surveillance footage. Reviewing the stores surveillance, deputies were able to observe and identify a suspect vehicle as well as potential suspects from this incident.
Surveillance footage also showed that statements made by the witness and store clerk were consistent with the information they both provided regarding this incident.
The suspect vehicle was identified by viewing clear and visible Missouri registration. Checking the Missouri registration to this vehicle showed it was registered to a person who was with the suspect and had an address in Ste. Genevieve County. Also, while reviewing the footage, the store clerk stated one of the white younger males who had been interacting with the witness and the victim could possibly be an individual that would later be identified as the suspect
On Wednesday, October 9, at approximately 2335 hours, deputies were able to locate the possible location where the shooting took place in the southern portion of Ste. Genevieve County on Highway 61.
Upon my arrival, deputies could see shards of glass along both lanes of U.S. Highway 61. deputies took several photographs of the area as well as several photographs of the witness’s vehicle. Observation made and photographs taken show consistencies with previously obtained information. Rear driver side door window was broken and gone. Shards of glass remained in the rear driver side floorboard and seat of the pickup. Several cartons of cigarettes in the rear seat of the pickup. What appears to be dried blood was located on the front center console of the pickup, as well as the front passenger side fender.
deputies later drove to the registered owner of the of the possible suspect vehicle which had been observed in the surveillance footage. Upon arrival to this location at approximately 1:40 a.m. deputies met and spoke to the parents of an additional witness who was with the alleged suspect. deputies learned the additional witness was a juvenile. Speaking with the parents and the additional witness who was with the alleged suspect, they learned the juvenile was driving the vehicle the suspect was in. The juvenile stated he is friends with individuals with the alleged suspect and another male subject who was in the vehicle as well at the time of the shooting. The juvenile stated alleged suspect got back in to the pickup and was sitting in the front passenger seat. The other potential witness got back in the pickup and was sitting in the rear passenger area. The alleged suspect told the juvenile to follow vehicle that had the witness and victim in it as it headed south on U.S. Highway 61.
The juvenile stated he drove south on U.S. Highway 61 until he caught up to the vehicle that had the witness and victim in it. At one point, the juvenile pulled beside the vehicle that had the witness and victim in it. The juvenile stated that the alleged suspect rolled down the front passenger side window and used his own crossbow to fire an arrow towards the witness and the victim. The juvenile stated he wasn’t for sure, but thought the arrow struck the vehicle somewhere. The juvenile stated he continued south and at one point turned around and began to drive north on U.S. Highway 61 towards Ste. Genevieve City. The juvenile stated once they returned to Ste. Genevieve City Limits, he took the alleged suspect to his father’s residence and the other witness in their vehicle to his mother’s residence. The juvenile then drove home.
Deputies then drove to the residence of the other witness in the vehicle with the alleged suspect in the city limits of Ste. Genevieve. Once there they met and spoke with the other witness where he provided information that was consistent with previous statements and information provided by involved individuals.
While speaking with the other witness, deputies were able to locate the alleged suspect and take him in to custody at approximately 0240 hours. Once I arrived to the sheriff’s office deputies interviewed the alleged suspect.
The alleged suspect was read his Constitutional Rights per Miranda, which he stated he understood. During the interview, the alleged suspect provided statements that was consistent with statements made by suspect No. two and No. 3 as well as others involved in the incident.