Jamarion Lee, a 24-year-old African American man, was tragically killed on September 3, 2022, in Peoria, Illinois. The incident occurred in the early hours of the morning when officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert indicating 12 rounds fired in the 1600 block of West Adrian G. Hinton Avenue. Upon arrival, they found Lee bleeding on the ground. Despite efforts to save his life, he was pronounced dead at 7 a.m. at a local hospital. Preliminary autopsy findings revealed that Lee suffered multiple gunshot wounds throughout his body.
The investigation into Jamarion Lee's death led to the arrest of Dominicue Linwood, a 26-year-old man, who was charged with first-degree murder in December 2022. During the investigation, it was discovered that Lee had identified his shooter as "Dooder," a nickname for Linwood, before he lost consciousness. This crucial piece of information was captured on police body cameras and presented during the trial. The Peoria Police Department's investigation, which lasted four months, utilized cellphone records and video surveillance to link Linwood to the crime scene. Additionally, liquor bottles found at the scene were traced back to Linwood, who had purchased them shortly before the shooting.
Further evidence against Linwood included cellphone records that placed him in the area at the time of the shooting and testimony from a woman who had loaned her car to Linwood. The car was seen on surveillance footage at a liquor store near the crime scene. Linwood was eventually arrested on December 8, 2022, after police tracked his cellphone to a friend's home in Washington. During his arrest, officers found ammunition in his pockets and a black semiautomatic pistol in the car he was traveling in.
Linwood was also identified as a suspect in two other shooting deaths in 2022, but he was only charged in connection with Jamarion Lee's murder. The trial for Lee's murder began in January 2025, and Linwood was found guilty of first-degree murder. He now faces a possible life sentence, with his sentencing scheduled for March 19, 2025. The case highlights the thorough investigative work of the Peoria Police Department and the use of technology and community cooperation in solving violent crimes.
