MCS Report #86
Classification: Homicide
Requesting Agency: Des Peres Police Department
Date of Activation: 10/23/1980
Victims: James E. Wood, Edna R. Ince, Carolyn R. Turner, and Judy M. Cazaco
Suspect: Maurice Oscar Byrd
The Des Peres Police Department requested the assistance of the Major Case Squad in investigating the deaths of James Wood (age 51), Edna Ince (age 68), Carolyn Turner (age 51), and Judy Cazaco (age 37). At approximately 7:44am, police officers responded to Pope’s Cafeteria located inside West County Shopping Center (80 West County Center Drive) after being flagged down by two women in the parking lot stating there was blood all over inside the cafeteria. When police officers checked inside Pope’s Cafeteria, they located the manager James Wood, and cooks Edna Ince, Carolyn Turner, and Judy Cazaco on the floor of the office. They had all been shot. James, Edna, and Carolyn were all pronounced dead on scene. Judy was transported to the hospital where she died 10 days later from her gunshot wounds. It was determined the cafeteria had been robbed.
As a result of this investigation, Maurice Byrd (age 25) was charged with four counts of Capital Murder
