News 4 Investigates: Family of murdered man speaks out against Gardner

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOV) - Daniel Riley is far from the only accused felon, allowed out on a GPS monitor.

In fact, in the midst of all of this, just yesterday an accused murderer walked free, after being released on bond.

News 4 Investigates spoke with a family joining the calls for circuit attorney Kim Gardner to resign, saying they’ve waited too long for justice for their murdered loved one.

“Devastating, devastating,” said a family member.

The woman, who is fearful of retaliation, asked us to conceal her identity.

“I am scared, I am really scared, my family is afraid, we don’t know what may happen,” she said.

She’s a family member of Vincent Sanders, who was murdered nearly four years ago.

Sanders, a St. Louis city employee, was gunned down in a city park.

“Its the fact that he killed him, its different when a person died, he murdered him,” she said.

Accused killer Terrion Phillips had been in jail since the crime happened in 2019.

His attorney has argued multiple continuances and the state’s quote “malfeasance” in the case were violating his rights.

Wednesday, Judge Paula Bryant allowed Phillips’ release on house arrest and GPS monitoring.

This time it was clear prosecutors opposed it.

“He should never have got off, we don’t understand that,” said the woman.

Her family though says the Circuit Attorney’s office hasn’t contacted them about the release.

The four year delay in justice, they say, is on her.

“I think they are not handling business with Kim Gardner, they are releasing the bad guys,” she said.

Her message to Gardner: “To do a better job, on the way they are doing things, things have to change for families, its rough.”

There was a trial in this case last year, but it ended in a hung jury, meaning it could be tried again.

The lead prosecutor in the case has been facing significant health issues and recently suffered a seizure in court.

This family says Gardner’s office hasn’t kept them informed, and they think she should resign.

Copyright 2023 KMOV. All rights reserved.