CHICAGO, July 1, 2008
Man Sought For 8 Deaths In Illinois & Mo.
Illinois Police Issue Warrant For Elderly Man's Murder; Sought For Questioning in 7 Other Deaths
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A photo released Tuesday, July 1, 2008, by the Illinois State Police shows Nicholas T. Sheley, 28, of Sterling, Ill., a man authorities said may be connected to a string of eight killings in Illinois and Missouri. (Illinois State Police)
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Local officers tend to a mourner at the scene where four bodies were discovered at an apartment in Rock Falls, Ill. The bodies of two men, a woman and a child were discovered in the apartment after a well-being check in Rock Falls. Police wouldn't say who made the request for the check, but they believe one of the victims also is connected to 93-year-old Russell Reed, a Sterling man whose body was found stuffed in a trunk last week. (AP)
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Interactive Crime Beat Statistics and specifics on crime in America.
Police in Galesburg say they've obtained a warrant for Nicholas Troy Sheley on charges including first-degree murder, aggravated battery and vehicular hijacking in the death of Ronald Randall.
Randall's body was found behind a Galesburg, Ill., grocery store, and an autopsy shows the 65-year-old died from blunt force trauma to the head.
Police say Randall's 2007 pick-up truck was found in St. Louis, and evidence discovered inside points to Sheley's involvement.
On Monday, police found the bodies of two men, a woman and a child in Rock Falls, a town in northwestern Illinois, about 100 miles west of Chicago. Authorities gave few details but said they had found the bodies after being asked to check on the people.
Police said they believe one of the victims is connected to Russell Reed, a 93-year-old man from nearby Sterling whose body was found stuffed in a trunk last week. Authorities there say Reed died of blunt force trauma.
Investigators said Tuesday that they were seeking Sheley as a "person of interest" in the five deaths, and said he "should be considered armed and dangerous."
State Police Sgt. Thomas Burek said Sheley was an acquaintance of one of the people found dead inside the apartment.
Authorities also are examining possible connections between the cases and recent homicides in Galesburg, a community about 60 miles southwest of Rock Falls, and in Festus, Mo., near St. Louis, Burek said.
Investigators were trying to determine if a body found Monday in Galesburg is that of a 65-year-old man who was reported missing, police Sgt. James Martinson said. The man's car was stolen and later found in Missouri, Martinson said.
Meanwhile, officials in Festus say police are investigating the deaths of a man and woman whose bodies were found Monday behind a gas station. The couple were identified as Tom and Jill Estes of Sherwood, Ark., who were in Missouri for a family function, said Lt. Cheryl Williams of the Sherwood Police Department.
Police said the man and woman had checked into a Comfort Inn in Festus on Friday and were last seen late Sunday. The couple's dogs were found in the hotel parking lot, covered with blood.
Police in Festus declined to comment on their investigation Tuesday. But officers in tactical gear searched an apartment building in Collinsville, Ill., Tuesday for a person of interest in the Festus slayings, Collinsville police Sgt. Rich Wittenauer said.
Wittenauer could not say whether it was the same person of interest being sought in the Illinois killings. Collinsville is about 40 miles northeast of Festus.
© MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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- This *** deserves the death penalty, period.
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- I''ll take "Thou shalt not kill" over "an eye for an eye" as a way to live any day.
The Bible says "Thou shalt not MURDER" not KILL. There''s a big difference! If you''re going to quote it...get it right!!! - Reply to this comment
- After seeing some of the language and mud slurs being slung back and forth on here I can see why this society is on a downward spiral and at the point of no return. It all began with the fall of Adam and Eve, and since then humanity just keeps on falling.
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- So what makes you bloodthirsty morons who want to kill this man less of a murderer than he is? Oh, that''s right, you are God, and you KNOW he deserves to die. I''ll take "Thou shalt not kill" over "an eye for an eye" as a way to live any day.
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- I''m sure all of the liberals want to save this poor SOB from the death penalty too.
Posted by diatreme at 05:31 PM : Jul 01, 2008
Go F*CK yourself, you rigthwing loony. Not EVERYTHING that happens should be used to score cheap political points, you shameless, hypartisan MORON. - Reply to this comment
- He looks pretty happy.
looks like a nice guy. - Reply to this comment
- Ah, another upstanding citizen.
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