Two people shot to death on Middle Street

Two Cape Girardeau men were shot to death Sunday night on South Middle Street, police confirmed early Monday morning.

Detavian L. Richardson, 20, and Zatrun R. Twiggs, 28, were taken to a hospital, where Cape Girardeau County Coroner John Clifton pronounced them dead, Cape Girardeau police confirmed in a news release sent to local media outlets about 3:15 a.m.

The Major Case Squad, which has been activated to investigate the double homicide, has identified a white SUV with multiple occupants as a possible suspect vehicle, the release stated.

Neighbors reported hearing approximately five shots fired at 9:15 p.m.

They said after police arrived, they witnessed a man being put into a body bag in the street outside a home at 236 S. Middle St.

The neighbors said the shots sounded almost like a tapping on a glass. They said they didn't hear any confrontations or tires squealing after the shots were fired.

One man was rushed to a Cape Girardeau hospital via ambulance. Witnesses said they thought the men didn't live on the street, but a neighbor had seen them drive by on numerous occasions.

About 10 p.m., a second ambulance arrived. A Southeast Missourian reporter saw emergency personnel lift a body bag via stretcher into the ambulance and leave the scene. The ambulance did not have sirens on.

Police have no suspects in custody.

A dark-colored Dodge Charger from which the victims were removed had both the driver- and passenger-side windows broken.

Scanner traffic Sunday night indicated police were looking for two male suspects in a white sport utility vehicle similar to a Chevrolet Tahoe with large rims; they believed the suspects might still be armed, possibly with an assault rifle.

Police have not yet released a possible motive in the case.

Online court records show both victims have had run-ins with the law involving drug charges and resisting arrest.

In 2010, Twiggs pleaded guilty to a pair of drug distribution charges, for which he was sentenced to nine years in the Missouri Department of Corrections, online court records show.

Last month, he was charged in July with possession of a controlled substance. His case had not yet been disposed.

He spent 30 days in jail 2006 and again in 2007 after pleading guilty to two instances of resisting arrest.

Online court records show Richardson pleaded guilty in May 2013 to possession of a controlled substance and was placed on five years of probation, and in November, he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest, for which he was sentenced to 60 days in jail.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Cape Girardeau Police Department at 335-6621.

-- Reporter Emily Priddy contributed some information for this story. Check semissourian.com for updates on this breaking story.