ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – A St. Louis County judge has sentenced a man over a murder that that stemmed from a carjacking plot in Affton three years ago.

Quentin Jackson, 40, was sentenced to 16 years in prison after entering a blind plea of guilty to second-degree murder, armed criminal action and motor vehicle theft charges last year.

According to court documents, Jackson admitted that on January 13, 2020, he fatally stabbed Justin Leeman, 41, in the neck before he stole the victim’s car. It happened in the 7900 block of Hildesheim Avenue in Affton.

DNA recovered from the murder weapon, a knife, was a match to Jackson’s DNA. Police later found blood on Jackson’s clothing and in the stolen car.


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“By all accounts, Justin Leeman dedicated his life to serving others, which made his loss that much more devastating,” said St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell. “With this guilty plea and prison sentence, his family and friends at least know who took his life and that he is being held responsible.”

In a blind plea of guilt, there is no agreement with the state on a sentencing recommendation. The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office recommended a sentence of 25 years in prison for these offenses.

The court imposed concurrent sentences for the charges. As a result, Leeman will be behind bars for the next 16 years.