Two women arrested in Southeast Missouri in connection to St. Louis homicide

PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Two Piedmont women were taken back to St. Louis early Thursday morning for questioning in connection with a fatal stabbing, the Daily American Republic newspaper reported.

"Information gathered by St. Louis detectives led them to a suspect(s) in rural Piedmont," explained Piedmont Police Chief Richard Sanders.

The detectives, Sanders said, called Piedmont authorities in regards to one woman, who was taken into custody at about 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at her residence by officers with the police department, Wayne County Sheriff's Department and Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Sanders said the woman was arrested on a probation violation warrant in an unrelated case.

A second woman, Sanders said, was taken into custody at about 10:30 p.m. Wednesday.

St. Louis Metropolitan detectives "did take the females back with them at 1 o'clock" Thursday morning, Sanders said.

The names of both women, who are originally from St. Louis, but have been living "here a while," are not being released pending further investigation and the filing of formal charges, said Sanders.

On Thursday, investigator(s) with Troop E's Division of Drug and Crime Control processed the vehicle the women had occupied and collected evidence to be sent to St. Louis, Sanders said.

The women were wanted in connection with a stabbing Tuesday night on Ohio Street in St. Louis, Sanders said.

A fight, according to St. Louis media outlets, occurred at about 11 p.m. between two groups of men and women, and Mark Little, 29, of St. Louis, suffered multiple stab wounds in the upper chest and shoulder area.

Little, another male, and his friends reportedly were at the scene when a fight began with another group of people.

According to witnesses, one of the white females stabbed Little, who was taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.