Suspect found dead at St. Louis hotel was sought in Riverfront Trail body-burning case

Case centers on Jan. 2 discovery near North Riverfront

A man sought by investigators in the killing of a woman whose body was found dumped and burned along St. Louis’ Riverfront Trail has been found dead inside a St. Louis hotel room, closing off the possibility of a court appearance but leaving the underlying homicide case active.

The investigation began on Jan. 2, 2026, when police located the body of 42-year-old LaToya Smith in a grassy area just off the Riverfront Trail, near the 100 block of Humboldt Avenue in the North Riverfront area. Homicide detectives took over the case, and authorities later determined the victim’s body had been burned in an apparent effort to prevent identification.

Warrant alleged body was abandoned, then set on fire

In early February, the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office filed charges against Carl Ray Jr., 62, in connection with what investigators described as the abandonment and burning of Smith’s body. Court filings in the case said investigators reviewed surveillance footage and city-operated camera systems in the area and concluded Ray and a relative left the body at the trail location and then set it on fire.

Ray was charged with abandonment of a corpse and hindering the prosecution of a felony. At the time the warrant was issued, police said he was last known to be in North Carolina. Online court records did not show charges against the relative referenced in the probable-cause narrative.

Suspect’s death ends prosecution, but not the homicide investigation

Authorities later located Ray in St. Louis, where he was found dead in a hotel room while still wanted in the Riverfront Trail case. Law enforcement officials have said he died inside the room, and the case will now depend on remaining physical evidence, digital records, witness statements and any potential involvement by other individuals.

Under Missouri law and standard criminal procedure, the death of a defendant generally results in dismissal of pending criminal charges against that person because the court can no longer bring the accused to trial. However, a suspect’s death does not resolve unanswered investigative questions, including the circumstances that led to Smith’s death and whether additional suspects or accessories played roles before or after the homicide.

What investigators have publicly laid out so far

• Smith’s body was found off the Riverfront Trail on Jan. 2, 2026, near Humboldt Avenue.
• Investigators said the body was burned to hinder identification.
• Charges filed in February alleged Ray and a relative abandoned the body and set it on fire.
• Ray was later found dead in a St. Louis hotel room while wanted in the case.

Investigators have indicated the burning was intended to prevent identification, a detail that shaped the early direction of the case.

Police have not publicly detailed a cause of death for Ray or announced any additional charges tied to Smith’s killing. The investigation into Smith’s death remains open, with detectives continuing to evaluate evidence and identify any remaining avenues for accountability.