Urbana man convicted of murdering neighbor in 2022

URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — An Urbana man faces at least 45 years in prison after he was convicted last week of murdering his neighbor.

After a three-day bench trial, Judge Randy Rosenbaum found Matthew Denbo, 44, guilty of second-degree murder in the 2022 shooting death of 46-year-old Joshua Berg. Both men were from Urbana, but the shooting happened in the area of Second and Green Streets in Champaign on July 15, 2022 .

Police said an argument escalated and Denbo fired his gun at Berg, who was later pronounced dead at Carle Hospital. Denbo left the area after the shooting, but was arrested that same night.

Denbo and his defense attorney did not dispute that the former shot Berg. They claimed self-defense, that Berg had provoked Denbo into firing.

A witness in an apartment building described Berg as being the “aggressor,” but said they didn’t see the murder itself. Prosecutors also described Berg as being combative, but said there was no evidence that he had ever brandished the knife prosecutors found in his possession.

Prosecutors added that Denbo had plenty of opportunities to leave Berg’s presence and a witness who saw them together described them as being friendly together.

In the end, Judge Rosenbaum found that available evidence and Denbo’s own statements did not prove he thought Berg was going to kill him. Rosenbaum found Denbo guilty of first-degree murder.

Sentencing is scheduled for October.

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