Jefferson City - On December 12, 2024, Governor Mike Parson announced that he has selected Melissa Price Smith as the next St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney. Smith is tentatively set to be sworn in on Friday, January 3, 2025, upon the expected resignation of current St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell.

"We are proud to announce that Melissa Smith will serve as the next St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney," Governor Parson said. "For the success of our state and the safety of our people, we need an experienced St. Louis County Prosecutor who demands and upholds law and order. Melissa is committed to the rule of law, and we are confident that she will deliver, as demonstrated by her distinguished career putting criminals behind bars, including child abusers, perpetrators of sexual assault, and violent offenders."

"Since I've been Governor, its never been about politics, but doing right by the people of Missouri." Governor Parson continued. "We trust that Melissa will uphold these same values and work with integrity to deliver justice on behalf of the people of St. Louis County and our state. We thank her for her willingness to serve and look forward to her leadership in fighting crime and safeguarding public safety in our state's largest metropolitan area."

Smith has been a member of the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office since 2008, currently serving as assistant prosecuting attorney and supervisor of the office's Sexual Assault and Child Abuse team. Throughout her 20 years of experience as a prosecutor, she has worked closely with law enforcement to fight crime and hold criminals accountable.

Ms. Smith earned a Bachelor of Science in psychology from the University of Missouri–St. Louis. She then attended Saint Louis University School of Law where she earned her Juris Doctor.

The message below is Melissa Price Smith's official statement upon learning of her appointment:

"I am honored to accept the appointment as St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney. I have proudly served the citizens of St. Louis County for the past 17 years. I am a lifelong St. Louis County resident, and I am a career prosecutor with 20 years of experience. I manage the Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Unit and have worked in nearly every area of the office, prosecuting every type of crime. I will utilize this experience and institutional knowledge to fight for justice for crime victims, hold offenders accountable, and work with law enforcement towards a safer St. Louis County.

I would like to thank Governor Parson for his service to the state of Missouri and for his faith in me. I would also like to thank law enforcement who have supported me not only in this endeavor but throughout my career. They work tirelessly to keep our community safe, and I am both humbled and honored by their support. Our office will work in partnership with law enforcement to achieve a safer community for people to live in, work in, and to visit. I would also like to thank the great men and women of the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Their support throughout this process has been tremendous, and the trust they have put in me is something I don’t take lightly. It has been my honor to work side by side with them for nearly two decades, and it will be my honor to lead them in our shared goal of vigorously prosecuting violent offenders and towards a safer St. Louis County for us all."

Per state statute, Smith will serve out the remainder of the current St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's term, which ends on January 1, 2027.