Casino Winner Followed Across State Lines, Robbed at Gunpoint After $3,203 Slot Win

A Missouri man allegedly watched a woman win $3,203 on slot machines at an Illinois casino before following her across the Mississippi River into Missouri, forcing her car off the road, and robbing her at gunpoint.

Ronnell L. Williams, 36, of St. Louis, is charged with first-degree robbery and armed criminal action over the Oct. 6 incident. He was being held without bond Monday (Oct. 12), according to court documents.

The victim had been playing at DraftKings at Casino Queen in East St. Louis, Ill., when Williams allegedly clocked her windfall and began tracking her movements around the gaming floor.

Surveillance footage later reviewed by investigators allegedly showed Williams watching the woman play and win, following her through the property, and then leaving in a maroon car shortly after she departed.

Muffler Ruse

The woman was driving home over Eads Bridge into St. Louis, when a man in a maroon vehicle pulled alongside her.

According to the probable cause account, the driver gestured for her to roll down her window, claiming that her car’s muffler was hanging off.

She did not stop. Police allege that Williams then continued following her and swerved into her lane, forcing her off the road in the city’s Near North Riverfront neighborhood.

When the woman pulled over and confronted him, he allegedly produced a firearm and demanded her winnings.

The woman subsequently described the suspect’s vehicle to detectives and identified Williams when shown surveillance footage from the casino.

Casino Has Faced Similar Case

In a striking parallel, in 2009, a blackjack player named Mark Myers said two men followed him from the same casino after he won approximately $17,500. The men allegedly trailed his taxi across the state line to Missouri before beating and robbing him outside his home.

Myers sued the casino, alleging it had failed to protect him despite security footage showing the men tracking his movements.

A 2012 federal appeals court decision noted that Casino Queen had previously been aware of three other “follow-home” robberies. It also described security precautions available to big winners, including private cash counts, escorts, and even vehicles following patrons as they left.

The case was returned to Missouri state court in 2013, but its ultimate outcome is unclear. It may have ended in an out-of-court settlement, although no such agreement has been confirmed.

There is no indication that Casino Queen has been accused of wrongdoing in the latest case. Williams faces criminal allegations that have yet to be proven in court.