Man found guilty of murder in shooting death of David Dorn; widow of slain retired St. Louis police captain vows: 'I'm not going to let his memory die'

A Missouri jury found a man guilty of the murder of retired St. Louis police Capt. David Dorn during a night of rioting in June 2020.

After three days of evidence and testimony, a jury needed just three hours to deliberate on Wednesday and find Stephan Cannon guilty on all counts.

Cannon, 26, was convicted of first-degree murder, first-degree robbery, first-degree burglary, stealing $750 or more, unlawful possession of a firearm, and three counts of armed criminal action.

In his closing statement, prosecutor Marvin Teer said Dorn was "a good man who dedicated his entire life to doing nothing but helping others."

The St. Louis City Circuit Attorney’s office released a statement regarding the verdict:

Based upon the cooperation from an outraged St. Louis community, a collaboration with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the City of St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office, charges were issued and the case was taken to trial. Today a jury found Mr. Stephan Cannon guilty of first-degree murder, first-degree robbery, first-degree burglary, and three counts of armed criminal action for the tragic death of former SLMPD Captain David Dorn. While nothing can bring Captain Dorn back to his loved ones, Mr. Cannon has been held accountable for his crimes committed in the City of St. Louis, and justice has been served.

Dorn, 77, was checking on a friend's business during riots ignited by the death of George Floyd. Looters had ravaged Lee's Pawn and Jewelry. Dorn – a 44-year police veteran – allegedly fired warning shots into the air in an attempt to get the looters to disperse.

Cannon fired 10 shots at Dorn, according to prosecutors. Dorn was shot dead in cold blood and left on the sidewalk.

Dorn’s daughter, Lisa Dorn, said, "We've been waiting a long time for this day, it’s been over two years. The prosecution worked extremely hard, they gave a really good fight. It was just undoubtable that he was guilty. So we look forward to moving on and our dad resting in peace.”

Dorn's wife, Ann Dorn, revealed, "I cried when I heard him say guilty on murder first, all of the stress that had been built up, just released."

"Once he retired as a policeman, I never thought I would get that knock on the door," she said.

Ann said, "I'm very thankful to the jurors who saw the truth and all the evidence. And I want to thank Marvin Teer for doing a phenomenal job in prosecuting the case."

"I don’t want to say we can move on," Dorn's widow added. "There’s never going to be full closure, but it brings us peace."

“Dave always said only certain black lives matter,” said Ann – who served as a police officer for 28 years. “He became a perfect example of that.”

Ann empathized with Cannon's family, "Nobody wins in this. They’ve lost a son and a brother. So, I feel her pain as much as I felt when he took Dave."

Ann believes her husband would have done anything to help Cannon or any of the other looters.

"For the young man to not even give Dave a chance to talk to him, to just shoot him for no reason," Ann noted.

Ann was grateful that David was able to hold their 10 grandkids – including their then-newborn granddaughter in his last days leading up to his tragic death.

Ann will now focus her efforts on the Captain David Dorn Charitable Foundation – which supports first responders and their families with much-needed equipment, mental wellness assisstance, and scholarships.

Ann declared, "I'm not going to let his memory die. I’m going to carry his name on in helping first responders and try and get the respect back."

David Dorn had worked for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department for 38 years and served six years as the police chief in Moline Acres.

Cannon is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 13. He faces life in prison without the possibility of parole since prosecutors did not seek the death penalty.

Widow of David Dorn relief after Cannon was found guiltywww.youtube.com