Lewis Cox, a 16-year-old male from Mattoon, Illinois, tragically lost his life on April 27, 1968. The circumstances surrounding his death were both shocking and heartbreaking for the local community. Lewis, a young Caucasian teenager, was found dead at his family’s farm located northwest of Mattoon. The cause of death was determined to be multiple gunshot wounds inflicted by a .22-caliber pistol.
The investigation into Lewis Cox's death quickly revealed that he was one of five children
murdered in a brutal attack that night. The suspect, Thomas Charles Fuller II, an 18-year-old male, was apprehended shortly after the incident. Fuller, who resided in the 2700 block of Marshall in Mattoon, was arrested without resistance near the Penn Central railroad yards in Charleston, Illinois. His capture followed an extensive manhunt involving local police, county law enforcement, and state police, who established roadblocks and conducted thorough searches of the area.
Thomas Charles Fuller II was charged with five counts of murder in connection with the deaths of Lewis Cox and his siblings. The legal proceedings that followed were closely watched by the community, as the brutal nature of the crime had left a lasting impact on Mattoon. Fuller was held in the Coles County jail without bond as the case progressed through the judicial system.
The tragic deaths of Lewis Cox and his siblings highlighted the vulnerabilities and dangers faced by rural communities during that era. The case remains a somber chapter in Mattoon's history, remembered for the loss of young lives and the swift justice that followed.
