Missouri Man Sentenced To Life Nine Years After Killing Ex-Girlfriend, Their 10-Month Old Son, and The Ex’s Mother

A St. Louis man who killed his ex-girlfriend, her mother, and their 10-month old son has been sentenced to life behind bars.

Eric Lawson, 32, was sentenced on Thursday for the 2012 murders of his 10-month-old son Aiden, his ex-girlfriend Breiana Ray, 22, and her mother Gwendolyn Ray, 50, according to the Associated Press.

On May 5, 2012, Lawson went to his ex-girlfriend’s house and shot her and her mother in the head, killing them. He then set two fires in the home and locked the front door as he left, trapping Breiana’s 3-year-old, Mckenzie Ray, and 10-month-old son, Aiden, inside.

Reports state that Aiden was found dead in his mother’s arm. Breiana’s 3-year-old daughter survived the tragedy but did suffer from smoke inhalation.

Assistant Attorney General Christine Krug told jurors, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports, that Lawson left the scene, went home, showered, and began sexting another woman while police and firefighters were at the scene.

According to the publication, the case took nine years due to the pandemic and previous litigation over selecting the jury process and personnel changes by the state and defense teams.

Gwendolyn Ray’s brother was very pleased with the sentence. “The family’s happy,” Vincent Ray, 56, said. “This is an end that we’re happy with, that we’re finally getting some justice for. So, nine years has been long but we’re glad it’s at an end.”