By JAYCIE DOERR, News3 Executive Producer
MACOMB, Illinois (NEWS3) – On April 12, Donell D. Williams pleaded not guilty at a preliminary hearing in the McDonough County Courthouse in connection to the March 25 fatal shooting at a house party held at 533 North Johnson Street in Macomb.
Lieutenant Todd Tedrow testified at the hearing about Williams’ arrest. Tedrow, along with his partner Officer Nick Severs, arrested Williams at the intersection of Calhoon and Clay Street in an unmarked police car.
Upon his arrest, police found a black Nike bookbag on his person. Police obtained a search warrant for the bag where they found an unidentifiable “ghost gun” and 1.5 pounds of cannabis.
At the time of his arrest, Williams told police that nothing in the bag pertained to the investigation of the Johnson Street shooting.
No distribution bags or scale were found on his person for the cannabis and Williams did not tell police he intended to sell it. Tedrow said with his experience of 13 years of drug enforcement, he believed Williams intended to sell the cannabis.
William’s lawyer, William Wolf, gave no comment on the charges. Williams is being held on a $500,000 bond. A pre-trial hearing for Williams is set for 3 p.m., May 17, 2023.
The MPD confirmed that six Western Illinois university students were injured at the shooting, along with four others, and one person was confirmed dead. The victim of the fatal shooting was Jerman Bethea, a 26 year-old male from Chicago, who died at the scene as a result of gunshot wounds.
Demond E. Wilson Jr. of Calumet Park, Illinois, was also arrested on charges in connection with the shooting of aggravated discharge of a firearm and has a bond set at 750,000 dollars. Wilson was taken into custody without incident and is being held at the McDonough County Jail.
