ST. CHARLES, MO--(KMOX)--Investigators are still trying to find out why a St. Charles man allegedly went on a killing spree, taking the lives of his girlfriend, her two children and her mother.
Richard Darren Emery, 46, remains behind bars while detectives seek a motive in Friday night's killing spree at a home where Emery lived with his girlfriend and her family on Whetstone Drive.
"If there ever was a situation that just popped up out of the blue and just exploded to the surprise of everyone in the family, I think this would be one of those," said St. Charles County Prosecutor Tim Lohmar.
Lohmar says detectives are interviewing friends and family of the victims, but have yet to learn what led to the violence.
Emery is charged with fifteen crimes including the four murders, a stabbing during an attempted carjacking and shooting at police.
"We're obviously going to let the evidence unfold, because it's still quite early in terms of the investigation," Lohmar said, "but once we get that in... this certainly looks like it could be a death penalty case."