A Lemay man, whose son was killed during an attempted robbery, is now in jail for allegedly threatening the individuals charged with his son’s death.

According to a probable cause statement from the St. Louis County Police Department, Samuel Starns, 47, contacted a county detective May 25, leaving a message that if the individuals charged in his son’s homicide walked across the stage at Oakville High School’s graduation ceremony June 2, a full police force would be needed at the ceremony.

Starns was later arrested. The prosecuting attorney’s office charged him May 28 with one count of making a terrorist threat – second degree. He is being held on a $100,000 cash-only bond.

Starns’ son, Collin Courtwright, was shot and killed Feb. 5 at an apartment complex in Oakville.

In a letter sent to parents and families of students at OHS prior to the graduation ceremony, Superintendent Jeff Haug stated that the students charged in Courtwright’s death would not be in attendance. 

Courtwright and Tyree Williams, 16, were fatally shot in February in a drug deal gone wrong. According to police, Bryce Mers, 18, arranged a deal to trade marijuana cartridges for cash with Zachary Hough, 18, via Snapchat, with plans to rob Hough. The exchange turned violent when Courtwright, who arrived with Williams and Mers, attempted to rob Hough at gunpoint. Another individual also present, Trevor Daley, 20, then opened fire, killing Courtwright and Williams, and injuring Mers.

Hough and Tyler Coleman, 19, another suspect involved in the deal, were students in the Mehlville School District.