On the evening of December 22, 2020, at approximately 10:00 PM, Decatur Police responded to reports of gunfire near the intersection of Church and Leafland streets in Decatur, Illinois. Upon arrival, officers discovered 20-year-old Jayleon Cummings, an African American male, seated in the driver's seat of a vehicle. He had sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his head and chest and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Following an extensive investigation, authorities identified 25-year-old Tyreco S. Garry, also an African American male, as a suspect in the case. At the time, Garry was already incarcerated in the Macon County Jail on unrelated charges, including parole violation, resisting or obstructing a police officer, armed violence, and being an armed habitual criminal. On March 9, 2021, Decatur Police charged Garry with first-degree murder in connection with Cummings' death.
The investigation revealed that on the night of the murder, Cummings had parked outside a residence in the 200 block of West Leafland Avenue to retrieve a stash of firearms. Members of the Southside gang, concerned about increased police activity in the area, suspected an impending raid. A male companion of Cummings exited the vehicle to collect the guns but soon heard a noise and, believing someone was nearby, was chased back to the car by an individual firing a weapon. Detectives recovered nearly 50 shell casings near the vehicle.
Further evidence against Garry included text messages retrieved from his iPhone, obtained during his February 18 arrest. In these messages, Garry indicated he had located an associate of Cummings who was present during the shooting. He also sent a video of a car, later identified as the one Cummings was killed in, and shortly after the shooting, texted someone saying, 'Hit made pick up!' Two individuals who were with Cummings that night identified Garry as the shooter, with one stating he was '100%' certain and had seen Garry 'with my own f***ing eyes.'
On June 9, 2021, Tyreco Garry pleaded not guilty to the first-degree murder charge. A pre-trial date was scheduled for July 27, 2021. The investigation remained ongoing, with authorities considering the possibility of additional arrests. They encouraged anyone with information to contact Decatur Police or Macon County Crime Stoppers.
