The Story of Big Mike

Read here to learn the plight of one Missouri man and his quest for justice.

Big Mike is a convenience store-owner in a small, corrupt town in St. Louis County. In this town of 400, crime lords line the pockets of policemen with greenbacks while the cops look the other way. The cops in this town drive converted Saturns, a testament to the quality of service offered, and the lack of state funding.
Big Mike is a man of morals in this seeming wild west town of corruption. He makes a regular practice of ordering loitering crime lords off his convenience store property. Mike's practice enraged one such ruffian by the name of Smooth such that one day, Smooth shot up the front of Mike's store, wounding Mike in the leg.
Knowing the police would do nothing, Mike took matters into his own hands, Wyatt Earp style. Mike invested in some heat, strapping on a little .357 Mag in an underarm holster.
A customer came into Mike's store one day, telling him Smooth was outside, shooting stuff and making trouble. Seizing his opportunity, Mike made his way secretly out, around the back of the store. Mike spotted Smooth in front of his store and stepped out from the building ordering Smooth off his property.
What ensued after this was nothing short of a 21st century showdown ending with multiple bullet wounds in Smooth's body, claiming his life. Immediately after his death, the "friends" of Smooth "relieved" him of his shoes, his money, dope, gun and car, making a hasty grab-and-go affair of it.
Big Mike turned himself in to county officials, fearing the wrath of the corrupt hometown policeman. He walked into the county police department, stated his name, said he just killed a man and presented the police with his gun, the murder weapon.

Big Mike did not go to jail and still operates his convenience store in a little town in St. Louis County. Because of the efforts of the OU alum turned Dispatch reporter, the police department in Mike's town was completely shut down and honorable policemen now patrol the streets.

The OU grad said she doesn't seek to change the world with her stories but merely helps some people who are in need. An interesting job.

To read her in-depth, six-week feature on crime and police, go here.