A quiet summer evening in House Springs, Missouri, turned deadly on July 25 when authorities say 73-year-old Robert Winkelman walked to a nearby home at about 8:30 p.m. and confronted his neighbor, 38-year-old Jessica Lashly, over activity at the residence, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
Investigators said the encounter escalated almost immediately. After Lashly answered him, Winkelman allegedly pulled out a firearm and shot her in the head. When Lashly’s 17-year-old daughter, Jersey Greer, ran toward her mother to help, deputies said Winkelman shot the teenager in the head, too. Authorities said he then pursued a third person while still carrying the weapon but did not fire again. Lashly and Greer were transported to a hospital, where both died days later.
Jessica Lashly, 38, and her 17-year-old daughter, Jersey Greer, were both fatally shot inside their House Springs, Missouri, home. (Midlawn Funeral Home & Memorial Gardens)
Newly obtained 911 dispatch audio reported by News Outlet captures the fear and confusion unfolding inside the home, including a dispatcher relaying that a friend of the slain 17-year-old was hiding in a closet.
“We do have a visual victim hiding in a closet, advising that her friend got shot. We do that law in route, but they are not on scene,” the dispatcher said.
According to the dispatch audio, the emergency call was made by someone reporting that a woman was having trouble breathing. During the call, a dispatcher said what appeared to be gunfire could be heard in the background.
“Received a call, no longer receiving a response from anyone on the phone. We did hear shots in the background,” the dispatcher said. “It sounds like possibly two gunshots went off.”
Robert Winkelman, 73, walked to his neighbor’s home and opened fire, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. He later died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. (Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office)
“It’s unclear what’s going on at this time,” he added.
When deputies arrived at Winkelman’s home and moved to confront him a short time later, he turned the gun on himself.
He died at a hospital Aug. 2, according to investigators, who said he would have been charged with two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of armed criminal action.
Reports state that investigators said Winkleman initially went to Lashly’s home to complain about noise. A spokesman for the sheriff’s office described the horrifying incident to News Outlet as a “dispute between neighbors.”
Jersey Greer, 17, was fatally shot while trying to help her mother, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. (Ron & Lisa Rigdon | Cheap Seats Photography)
Investigators learned that Winkelman had “ongoing frustrations” with activities at Lashly’s home.
Justice Greer, the teenage victim’s twin sister, told KSDK, “She was literally just the funniest person ever.”
“She could make anybody laugh. She was really supportive about anything and everything. She could always tell when someone was sad or needed uplifting, and she was always the one to do it.
“Jersey’s last moments, she was trying to save my mom. It just shows how brave she is, and I hope I can be half as brave as she is,” she said.
Justice Greer said Lashly was a single mother who did all she could to provide for her twin daughters.
Relatives and a former coach remembered Jersey Greer as brave, funny and someone who could lift anyone’s spirits. (Ron & Lisa Rigdon | Cheap Seats Photography)
“It was always just us three,” Justice said. “It’s going to be really hard because that’s all I’m used to.”
Abby Feldmann, who was Justice and Jersey Greer’s coach in lacrosse, told KSDK Jersey was someone who could “change your whole perspective on life.”
“There’s not one person who would refuse to follow her,” Feldmann said. “Everyone’s behind her. She’s really an amazing girl.”
