Tariq L. Houston, a 17-year-old African American male from Springfield, Illinois, was tragically shot and killed on December 31, 2019, in Normal, Illinois. The incident occurred in the 1700 block of Putnam Avenue during a social gathering. Houston was found lying in a parking lot with a gunshot wound to his abdomen. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 11:58 P.M. by McLean County Coroner Kathy Yoder.
The investigation into Houston's death led to the arrest of Dewon I. C. Griffin, a 19-year-old male from Bloomington, Illinois. Griffin was charged with first-degree murder in connection to Houston's death. The arrest was made on January 8, 2020, by members of the Normal Police Department in collaboration with the U.S. Marshall's Fugitive Task Force. Griffin was taken into custody at a residence in the 400 block of West Chestnut Street in Bloomington.
Further investigation revealed that Griffin was not the only individual involved in the incident. Garrett Riley Ahlfield, an 18-year-old male from Bloomington, was also arrested for acts related to Houston's death. Ahlfield was charged with multiple weapons-related offenses, including aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, possession of a firearm without a FOID card, reckless discharge of a firearm, and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. Ahlfield was not charged with the actual homicide but was found to have fired five rounds into the air shortly after Houston was shot.
In December 2024, Griffin was sentenced to 87 years in prison for his role in the fatal shooting. He was convicted of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon. Griffin must serve at least 58 years of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole. The sentencing judge emphasized the senselessness of the loss of Tariq Houston, whose life was tragically cut short by firearm violence.
