A tragic family dispute on Christmas Eve turned deadly in Missouri, where a 61-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly shooting and killing his 26-year-old son in front of the son’s fiancée. The incident reportedly stemmed from an argument about the father’s suspicions of his wife’s infidelity. Authorities have charged Harold Luster with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of Kevin M. Ward.
The shooting happened around 8:55 p.m. on December 24, 2024, at a home on Highway PP in High Ridge, a small community about 25 miles southwest of St. Louis. According to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the argument escalated when Luster grabbed a firearm, threatened someone else, and then shot his son.
Details from a probable cause affidavit reveal more about what led to the shooting. Kevin Ward and his fiancée had traveled from St. Louis to spend Christmas Eve with his father. At some point during the visit, Luster got into a heated argument with Ward’s fiancée. Luster accused her of keeping secrets about his wife’s alleged affair, claiming she knew but didn’t tell him. During the argument, Luster allegedly asked her, “Do you want to get shot?”
Things quickly spiraled from there. Luster went back into the house and retrieved a gun. Ward, trying to defuse the situation, told his fiancée to grab him a knife and leave the house. He told her to call for help if anything went wrong.
As she stepped outside, the fiancée later told police she could hear Ward trying to calm his father down. “You’re not going to shoot her,” Ward reportedly said. Luster’s chilling response, according to her account, was, “You want to get shot instead?”
Moments later, she watched in horror as Luster fired a single shot that struck Ward in the forehead. Ward collapsed to the floor and died instantly. The fiancée called 911 as the events unfolded.
Authorities later reviewed security footage from a neighbor’s camera, which reportedly captured Luster raising the gun, firing, and Ward falling to the ground.
Harold Luster was arrested soon after the shooting and taken to the Jefferson County Jail. He remains in custody without bond as the investigation continues. Police have released few additional details, and the situation has left the local community in shock.
This devastating incident, which unfolded during what should have been a joyful holiday, serves as a reminder of how quickly arguments can escalate with tragic consequences. Families and friends in the High Ridge area are grieving a loss that feels all the more painful given the circumstances of the holiday season.
