Mishealia Marie Meredith, a 19-year-old female from Harrisburg, Illinois, was tragically found dead on March 14, 2021. Mishealia, who was born on June 18, 2001, in Carbondale, Illinois, was a student at Southeastern Illinois College and attended Star General Baptist Church in Eldorado, Illinois. On the evening of March 12, 2021, Mishealia was last seen alive when she called her mother around 7 p.m. to inform her that she was walking home. However, she never made it to her destination. Her phone was later discovered in the Eldorado area, and her body was found in a remote cornfield in Gallatin County, just a few miles from where her phone was located.
The investigation into Mishealia's death revealed that she had been maliciously murdered after being shot twice. Authorities identified Alexander McWilliam, a 36-year-old African-American male from Harrisburg, Illinois, as the primary suspect in her murder. McWilliam was Mishealia's boyfriend at the time of her disappearance. A witness testified that McWilliam became upset with Mishealia for allegedly rolling her eyes at him, and in a fit of rage, he shot her in the head while she was sitting on the couch. McWilliam then threatened the witness to help him cover up the crime and dispose of Mishealia's body.
Following the discovery of Mishealia's body, the Illinois State Police took over the investigation. McWilliam was charged with first-degree murder and was listed as armed and dangerous. About a week later, he was located and arrested by U.S. Marshals in Union County, Kentucky, after barricading himself in a Hometown Inn. He was extradited back to Saline County, Illinois, where he awaited trial. As of August 2022, the trial was still pending, and Mishealia's family and friends continued to seek justice for her untimely death.
Mishealia's death left her family and friends devastated. She was remembered as a sweet and always smiling young woman who enjoyed a close relationship with her family. Her loved ones described her as someone who did not deserve to die in such a heinous manner. The investigation into her murder remains open, and authorities continue to encourage anyone with information to come forward.
