Parkway Grad Shot Dead; Robbed Only of Pizza Police Say

A Hillsdale police sergeant tells Chesterfield Patch that Parkway graduate 22-year-old Daniil Maksimenko was ambushed and shot dead during a delivery run from the Northwood Imo's Pizza in North Oaks Plaza, off Natural Bridge Road near Lucas & Hunt.

Maksimenko is a 2008 graduate of Parkway South High School, and lived in Ballwin. He worked at the pizza store location for three years, his brother said.

(For photo of Maksimenko click here)

Police investigators said they got an alert around 12:45 a.m. Saturday of what was thought to be a traffic accident at 2144 Erick Avenue in Hillsdale. 

"We received a call of. . .a car in a ditch," said a Hillsdale police sergeant who requested his name not be published in the article. "It was later discovered that he had gunshot wounds." 

Police said Monday noon they have a suspect, Chester Woods, but not the shooter.

Police said Maksimenko was sent out to that location on a delivery, but when he arrived to deliver the pizza, he never made it out of his car before he was shot multiple times, including in the head.

"He was robbed and murdered," the sergeant tells Patch. On Monday, police said Maksimenko was robbed only of the pizzas.

Authorites said Maksimenko's car then went through an open field and stopped in some bushes where he was found incoherent by rescue crews. He later died at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. 

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Hillsdale police said one person is in custody as of early Monday morning, but police are still searching for suspects. 

"There are more suspects at large," the sergeant tells Chesterfield Patch. 

Meanwhile, Maksimenko's family is searching for answers. 

"I don't know what's true and what's not," his older brother Roman Maksimenko tells Chesterfield Patch by telephone. Loud voices in a language other than English were heard in the background of the phone interview.

He said his brother Daniil lived in Ballwin, but worked at that Imo's Pizza for three years.

"A friend recommended the job for him," Maksimenko explained. He said his brother graduated from Parkway South High School in 2008.

According to FOX 2 News, the one suspect in custody, a 20-year-old from Hillsdale, is now charged with second degree murder and first degree robbery with a $250,000 cash only bond. 

FOX2 also reports, police believe the other suspects may be hiding out in homes around the Hillsdale crime scene.

Anyone with information is asked to contact St. Louis County Police Dispatch at 314 889-2341. St. Louis County police are investigating and dispatch for the Hillsdale Police Department.

Anonymous tips can also be called in to Crime Stoppers at 866-371-TIPS. 
Crime Stoppers offers a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to a 
felony arrest. Tips must be submitted to CrimeStoppers to receive the reward.