St Louis Kingpins
In the streets of the Midwest, a host of notorious St Louis kingpins have a long history in what has been considered as one of the most dangerous cities. Names like TJ Ruffin, Fat Woods, Sylvester Atkins, Fred Parker, the Petty Brothers, and Jerry Lewis Bey resonate as legendary players, each playing a significant role in shaping the city’s underworld during the 1970s.
These figures navigated the gritty streets of St. Louis with a combination of brains and ruthlessness, holding down areas like the Pruitt Igoe projects, the West End neighborhood, the city’s North Side, particularly around its Fairground and O’Fallon parks, or even Kinloch, turning these areas into hubs for their enterprise.
Fat Woods
In 1973, Fats Woods, known for his domination of St. Louis’s heroin trade, was arrested and later convicted on multiple counts related to his activities. Although acquitted of one charge involving heroin distribution in October 1972, he faced convictions on three other counts of similar violations.
Fats Woods, alongside his associate Killer Earl, controlled the downtown area of Cass Avenue, extending their influence over notorious housing projects such as Pruitt-Igoe. The duo’s dominance in the drug trade during the early 1970s contributed to the violence where shootings and killings were a part of life.
Leading a group from the infamous Pruitt-Igoe housing project, Woods and Williams became some of the city’s most feared gangsters. Earl Williams, known as the chief enforcer, had a notorious reputation, substantiated by his twenty-six arrests and three murder acquittals between 1970 and 1973. A Vietnam War veteran with combat experience as a Marine Corps sniper, Williams was one to fear.
Petty Brothers
During the mid and late 1970s, Lorenzo, Sam, and Joe Petty emerged as some of the most infamous figures in the St. Louis underworld. Known collectively as the Petty Brothers, they carved out a notorious reputation for themselves. Their operations were largely centered on North Side, specifically around the Ofallon Park and Fairground Park neighborhoods.
The brothers were deeply entrenched in the heroin market, and their rivalry with Dennis Haymon was the deadliest conflict in the city’s criminal history at the time, predating the infamous Bloods and Crips or Rollin 60s and 62 ECC gang wars.
The Petty family was more than just a trio of hustlers; they were a well-organized and heavily armed outfit that often enforced their will. Sam Petty, recognized as the brains of the operation, but Lorenzo was often viewed as one of the scariest gangsters to walk the streets of St. Louis.
They were heavy in the heroin trade but also other substances, like Ts and Blues (Pentazocine/tripelennamine). Their long criminal records attest to the intensity and scope of their time in the streets throughout the 1970s, making them a significant chapter in the city’s underworld history.
Jerry Lewis Bey
In the early 1990s, Jerry Lewis Bey, a prominent figure associated with the Moorish Science Temple of America, was arrested, marking the end of what authorities called his influential reign over St. Louis’s North Side during the 1980s. Most notably active in places like Walnut Park, Bey, alongside the Bey Brothers, was deeply implicated in a network of crimes, ranging from drug trafficking to violent offenses.
The arrest of Jerry Lewis Bey was a significant event, capturing the attention of international media outlets. His life sentence in 1993, related to a prior conviction for heroin distribution, was reported with headlines questioning whether he was a victim of systemic targeting or just another one of St. Louis kingpins.
So-called investigations into Bey’s activities led to RICO indictments and convictions for racketeering and involvement in other conspiracies. Despite maintaining his innocence, Jerry Lewis Bey’s conviction was seen as a significant blow to the streets of St. Louis. The book “Government’s Target or Gangster” goes into details about his conviction, exploring the complexities and truth behind the accusations.
TJ Ruffin
TJ Ruffin was one of the first prominent figures in the underworld of St Louis. While residing in St. Louis County, particularly in areas like Pine Lawn, he had influence over the city of St. Louis, gaining considerable notoriety throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Ruffin’s activities began long before this peak, with an arrest record tracing back to the late 1940s.
His life came to an end in the Eastgate neighborhood of University City. Ruffin’s operations were diverse, ranging from prostitution and drug trafficking—most notably heroin during the 1970s—to various thefts. His network extended to Chicago, which was part of him establishing a connection with Vice Lords. Ruffin is considered one of the first major pushers in St. Louis, predating many of the other notorious St Louis kingpins, such as Fat Woods.
A.D.
A.D. was arrested for being the alleged leader of a significant operation from the 2000s to 2016. The operation had a well-established distribution network, collaborating with a Mexican cartel to channel “vast kilogram quantities of cocaine” into the city. The operation involved a supply chain where cocaine was transported from Mexico to St. Louis.
The magnitude of this operation was illustrated by the authorities’ seizure of over 70 kilograms of cocaine and more than $1 million during the investigation, highlighting the extensive reach and profitability. The indictment was also against T.T., a ruthless affiliate of A.D., who was accused of a number of murders between 2008 and 2014.
His role in numerous homicides, like the ones against several street guys of the Blumeyer projects, showed the lethal influence that they had on the streets. Prosecutors have cited these acts of violence, linked to the drug operation, as factors in their decision to pursue the death penalty against T.T.
Dennis Haymon
In the late 1970s, Dennis Haymon was entrenched in a violent war, particularly in 1978, with the notorious Petty Brothers. Known for his involvement in the heroin trade, Haymon was a top guy in the underworld, earning a reputation as a notorious gangster to be feared. His roots trace back to the projects off Cass in the Carr Square Village.
During the mid-1970s, Haymon was recognized as the top kingpin in St Louis, while also in constant conflict with the other top street guys like the Petty Brothers, as well several Pruitt Igoe affiliates, and other significant players. However, Dennis Haymon has since undergone a profound transformation, leaving his past behind and embracing Christianity.
This change marks a significant departure from his earlier life, where he was charged with the high-profile killing of Killer Earl Jr. Despite his past notoriety and dangerous reputation, Haymon’s life has taken a dramatic turn.
Terry Joe Cooley
Terry Joe Cooley was one of the first major players of St. Louis during the 1960s. Known for both his legitimate businesses and for playing a major role in the city’s narcotics underworld. Cooley operated his enterprises with much charisma and flamboyance, often seen driving a luxurious Lincoln Continental.
His legitimate dealings did little to mask his deeper involvement in the streets, as Cooley was among the pioneering hustlers in the narcotics scene. His career in crime extended back before 1960s when he faced several arrests for various serious offenses, including narcotics, robbery, and even homicide.
Despite that, Cooley managed to maintain respectability through his sophisticated ways. Tragically, Cooley’s life met a violent end in 1970 on Euclid Avenue in the Marcus Avenue – Kingsway East neighborhood. Despite his efforts to maintain a diverse portfolio that included legitimate businesses, his status as a kingpin in St. Louis remained prominent.
Kinloch
Kinloch, a neighborhood in North County St. Louis, has a storied history of culture. It has been the starting point for numerous individuals, such as rapper Huey, soul singer Ann Peebles, actress Jenifer Lewis, politician Maxine Waters, and comedian and activist Dick Gregory. Despite these legendary legacies, Kinloch has also gained notoriety for its deep-rooted street culture, dating back to the 1970s as top players and hustlers in city.
Known as one of the most infamous areas in all of St. Louis, it is characterized by its rundown public-housing projects and an atmosphere of lawlessness with minimal police presence and much corruption, becoming a prime location for hustlers. Within this environment, streets like Mable and Lurch were iconic, gangs and crews like the Food Stamp Gangsters and 5-7 Kinloch Bloods roamed, and names like Pig and Trell resonated well throughout the community.
Founded in the early 1900s, Kinloch holds the historical significance of being one of the first all African American cities in the United States. By the 1960s, it was a thriving community, home to more than 10,000 residents. However, in the late 1980s, the trajectory of Kinloch changed dramatically due to the expansion of the nearby airport, which prompted the acquisition of city land and the resident’s properties.
This buyout not only displaced families into other North County communities but also depleted the city’s tax base, leading to a significant decline. After the buyouts, Kinloch was left with little more than its housing projects, transforming it into an environment of struggles, but also produced some of the St Louis’ most notable hustlers and most feared gangsters.