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| Sheley's Alleged Murder Spree Tops 2008 Local News Stories |
An accused spree killer making a stop in Galesburg is the biggest local news story of 2008, and it's not over yet.
29-year old Nicholas Sheley remains held in the Knox County jail on $10-million bond, facing ten counts of first-degree murder and seven other felonies after allegedly bludgeoning to death 65-year old Ronald Randall, stealing his pickup truck, and leaving his body behind the East Main Hy Vee store.
Galesburg was the middle stop in Sheley's alleged spree, which started in Whiteside County and resulted in the deaths of nearly a half-dozen people there, and ended outside St. Louis where an Arkansas couple was found murdered.
But Knox County State's Attorney John Pepmeyer was the first to file formal charges, and after that, Pepmeyer said the Illinois Attorney General's Office wanted to be involved right away.
"The attorney general's office is involved not only in the investigation but, at this point in time, have been officially requested by the Whiteside County State's Attorney's Office to co-counsel the case."
That was the last time Pepmeyer spoke to reporters. After the A-G's office suggested Pepmeyer not speak any longer to reporters, a gag order was later issued. That did not stop Sheley from granting interviews with The Associated Press and a Quad Cities T-V station.
Sheley was recently found mentally fit to stand trial, though an issue about whether or not he's mentally competent enough to represent himself has yet to be decided.
Sheley wants to either do that or have new attorneys, claiming Public Defender Jim Harrell and co-counsel Jeremy Karlin have infringed on his right to a speedy trial, and are also allegedly filing motions and making other decisions against his wishes.
Sheley's next court hearing is scheduled for January 30th.
(Nicholas Sheley is being led out of the Knox County Courthouse following a court hearing in 2008. WGIL News File Photo.) |
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| 01 04 09 by Newsroom |
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