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ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - An Alton teen has been sentenced to prison for his involvement in the shooting death of a 13-year-old Alton girl in early 2024.

Dakota M. Perry, 19, has been sentenced to 35 years in prison and three years' parole in connection with the shooting death of 13-year-old Ra'Niya Steward in 2024. He pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in January 2026.

Perry was 16 at the time of the shooting.

According to court records, Ra'niya was standing on the porch of her Alton home on Feb. 3, 2024, when she was shot. She died 10 days later at St. Louis Children's Hospital.

Court records state that Perry and a co-defendant, Vito C. Crowder, fired shots at the house because they believed a rival gang member was at the house. Perry is the last of his five co-defendants to be sentenced in connection with the shooting.

Combined, the five defendants have been sentenced to 178 years in prison.

 Today, our focus should be on Ra'Niya Steward and her family. She was a loving daughter, a family member, a bright student and a young girl with a future ahead of her,  Madison County State's Attorney Tom Haine said.  I hope Ra'Niya's family can take some measure of comfort in knowing that the people responsible have been held accountable in a court of law. 

The other co-defendants are:

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