Gersain Rugerio-Rodriguez

Police say the shooting death July 18 of Gersain Rugerio-Rodriguez appears to be a random attack. Rugerio-Rodriguez, 26, was shot to death after co-workers dropped him off late that night at his home on Baltimore Avenue in Overland. He stood by their car in his driveway, smoking a cigarette, when a gunman drove by, circled back and repeatedly shot Rugerio-Rodriguez. St. Louis County prosecutors on Friday charged Gavon Simmons with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. He was in jail on a $1 million cash bail. Simmons, 26, lives in the 11800 block of Bellefontaine Road in unincorporated St. Louis County. The Major Case Squad had 17 detectives assigned to the murder case, and Overland had five of its own detectives working on the investigation as well. Police said they couldn't find a prior connection between Simmons and Rugerio-Rodriguez. The men appeared to be strangers. The killing happened about 11:30 p.m. on July 18 in the 9400 block of Baltimore Avenue in Overland. Rugerio-Rodriguez died at the scene. Investigators haven't found a motive for the killing but believe it came at the end of an apparent crime spree. Simmons had just stormed off after having a fight with his girlfriend and his girlfriend's brother outside a Waffle House in Overland, authorities said. Police said the domestic-violence case is seemingly unrelated to the killing but may have been the start of his rage-fueled attack on Rugerio-Rodriguez. On Thursday, St. Louis County prosecutors charged Simmons with two counts of domestic assault, unlawful use of a weapon, stealing and misdemeanor kidnapping. The next day he was charged in the murder. Simmons has prior convictions for drug distribution, burglary, stealing, domestic assault, leaving the scene of an accident and weapons offenses.