Gregory Jonas, a 59-year-old African American male, was a dedicated police officer with the Centreville Police Department in Illinois. On June 2, 2009, while patrolling an apartment complex in the 4700 block of Tudor Avenue, he was tragically shot and killed. The incident occurred around 2:00 am when Jonas was questioning an individual. He was shot in the head and died at the scene. The suspect, Lemuel A. Houston, was later apprehended and charged with first-degree murder. Houston, who was 22 years old at the time, pleaded "guilty but mentally ill" to the murder on June 13, 2012, and was sentenced to 53 years in prison without parole.
Jonas had served with the Centreville Police Department for 15 years and had previously worked with the Alorton Police Department for eight years. He was well-liked in the community for his efforts to reduce neighborhood violence. His death was a significant loss to his family, friends, and the entire Centreville community. Jonas was survived by his wife, two sons, four daughters, mother, and ten grandchildren.
The investigation into Jonas's death was led by the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis, with the Centreville Police Department requesting their assistance. The investigation revealed that Jonas was shot in the back of the head while in uniform. His bond was set at $10,000,000. The community mourned the loss of a devoted officer who had dedicated his life to protecting and serving others.
