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Sheley Pleads Not Guilty to Knox County Murder Charges
It's apparently not yet been decided if a Sterling man suspected of committing a two-state killing spree will face the death penalty in connection to a local death.

Knox County State's Attorney John Pepmeyer declined to comment Wednesday on whether or not he'll seek the death penalty in connection to the 10 murder charges, and seven other felonies a grand jury has handed down locally against 28-year old Nicholas Sheley. Pepmeyer now officially has 120 days with which to decide whether or not the death penalty will be a possible sentence for Sheley if he's convicted at trial of killing 65-year old Ronald Randall. That clock started with Wednesday's arraignment hearing.

Sheley pleaded not guilty at that hearing, and also asked, through Public Defender Jim Harrell, for a trial by jury.

Sheley's ex-wife was seen in attendance at Wednesday hearing, but was asked to leave after allegedly shouting something to Sheley as he was being led out of the courtroom.

An October sixth pre-trial hearing date has been scheduled in the case.

Sheley also faces murder charges in connection to deaths in Whiteside County and in Festus, Missouri -- he's also suspected in four more Whiteside County deaths but hasn't been charged.


(File Photo by WGIL News)
08 06 08 by Newsroom
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