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CRIME & SAFETY
Peoria woman given prison time for killing boyfriend
PEORIA (25News Now) - A Peoria woman has been sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to a reduced murder charge for fatally stabbing her boyfriend last year. Heaven Kruzan, 23, stabbed Lamario Billups, 34, at a home on South Stanley Street in Peoria on March 8, 2023.
Peoria Police requesting help in finding missing man
PEORIA (25News Now) - Peoria Police are asking the public for help in finding a missing man. Melvin E. Hutton, 70, was last seen in the 400 block of Southwest Adams Street in Peoria on June 9. Police describe him as a white man, around 5 feet 11 inches tall...
Garage a total loss after Thursday fire in Peoria
PEORIA, Ill. – Investigators believe arson is the cause of a fire in Peoria Thursday that left a garage as a total loss. Peoria Fire responded before noon to the area of Knoxville and Briarwood Court. Firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke and fire from a two-car unattached garage...
Defendant Sentenced in Peoria for October 2023 Shooting Incident
In Peoria, Illinois, a court has sentenced 35-year-old Demetrius D. Drummond to a total of 15 years in prison following an incident that proved fatal for a bystander. The sentencing comes after Drummond was found guilty of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon by a Felon and Reckless Discharge of a Firearm. The charges stem from a party on East Thrush Avenue, where Drummond fired a weapon into the air, initiating a panic that led to 24-year-old Kobe Johnson being fatally struck by a vehicle. During the hearing, the victim’s mother addressed Drummond, expressing hope that he would remember her son daily during his imprisonment.
Illegal dumping, in addition to hateful vandalism, plagues North Peoria cemetery
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — In addition to people writing hateful graffiti on walls at a North Peoria cemetery, officials there say they are also having an issue with illegal dumping. Bryan Allen, a trustee at Mount Hawley Cemetery, said they have problems at the utility shed in the past...
Surgeon General, some local leaders view gun violence as public health crisis
PEORIA (25News Now) - The U.S. Surgeon General calls gun violence a public health crisis, and some local leaders agree. Locally, seven people have been murdered in Peoria this year, according to Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood. During Thursday night’s State of the City address, Peoria Mayor Rita Ali weighed...
Mail in East Peoria and Washington thrown around neighborhoods, police say
EAST PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — A night-time attack on mailboxes in East Peoria and Washington has left several without mail and still others wondering why this happened. “We just know there must’ve been a bunch of kids or something or other that came through the area and just opened up mailboxes, and you know, by and large it doesn’t seem to be a problem, but where there was mail in there, that can be a problem.” said Dave Dobner, who lives in East Peoria.
Downtown growth, crime, business goals: 3 takeaways from Peoria Mayor Rita Ali's address
"The best is yet to come" for Peoria was the central theme of Peoria Mayor Rita Ali's 2024 State of the City Address delivered Thursday night at the Haven on the Farm event space. In a speech in which she touted the city's five-year strategic plan, Ali centered her focus...
Illinois Secretary of State awards grants to police departments to combat carjackings, vehicle theft
CHICAGO, Ill. (WGEM) - Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is helping several police departments across the state crack down on carjackings and vehicle theft. Giannoulias awarded more than $11.6 million in grants Wednesday to six law enforcement agencies including the Peoria Police Department, St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office and Illinois State Police (ISP).
Normal Firefighters help revive cat after apartment fire
NORMAL, Ill. (WMBD) — The Normal Fire Department helped revive a cat rescued from an apartment fire early Thursday morning. According to information from the department, Firefighters responded to apartments near Vernon Avenue and School Street at about 3 a.m. A skillet of oil caught fire and set the apartment ablaze. A smoke detector alerted […]
Two Area Crime Stoppers Members Honored at State Conference
The Illinois State Crime Stoppers recently honored two members of the local Crime Stoppers group. MacKenzie Stewart, President of the Morgan, Scott, Cass Crime Stoppers, as selected as an Outstanding Board Member of the Year for her “Motivation, Direction, and Initiative” in leading the local program. The honor was presented at the 2024 State Crime Stoppers conference recently held in Peoria. The native of Waverly is employed by the State of Illinois as a Child Support Specialist.
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