A Missouri father of three was fatally shot after he stopped to give a female hitchhiker a lift, police have said. William Palmer, 36, was allegedly killed by Brittany Rivoire after picking her up in St Louis.
Palmer's body was discovered just before 2.30am on Sunday and he was pronounced dead at the scene. His fiancée, Riyen Jones, said Palmer had been collecting scrap metal when he spotted Rivoire on the roadside. He was with a friend at the time, but the friend left after Rivoire's behaviour became strange.
Jones said Palmer had intended to take Rivoire to a warming shelter. 'As far as we know, she asked him at a gas station to take her to a warming shelter because she was cold,' Jones told local media. She added that she had often warned her partner not to pick up strangers.
Police said Rivoire, 36, flagged down another driver before her arrest. She has a prior conviction for tampering with a motor vehicle from 2024. Authorities allege she shot Palmer in the head, then drove his truck recklessly for several blocks before abandoning it. She is being held without bond.
Jones described Palmer as 'the glue' of their family and 'just a giver'. A GoFundMe page has been set up to support the household and cover funeral costs. Palmer leaves behind his fiancée, two sons aged 21 and six, and an 18-year-old daughter.
