10/22/2026
NEWS RELEASE
October 22, 2026
SHOOTING INVESTIGATION RESULTS IN ASSAULT AND WEAPONS CHARGES
On May 26, 2026, our office began investigating a shooting that occurred at approximately 4:00 a.m. in the 2500 block of Windy Hill Lane in Cape Girardeau County.
Our investigation determined that three individuals attempted to enter a parked vehicle but fled after discovering someone inside. The three later returned to the area in a stolen vehicle. Multiple shots were fired from that vehicle toward the parked vehicle and three people nearby, who took cover behind it. No injuries were reported.
Our investigators obtained surveillance footage, recovered spent cartridge casings, and documented bullet damage to the parked vehicle. During the investigation, we identified David Joseph Trochez, 18, of Cape Girardeau, as the person who fired the shots.
The Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Trochez with the following:
- One count of Assault in the First Degree — Class B Felony
- Three counts of Armed Criminal Action — Felonies
- One count of Property Damage in the First Degree — Class E Felony
- One count of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Shooting from a Motor Vehicle — Class B Felony
The Honorable Judge Scott A. Lipke issued an arrest warrant on October 21, 2026, and set bond at $250,000 cash only. Trochez remains in the custody of the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office.
All charges are merely accusations of a crime. David Joseph Trochez is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
