In the early morning hours of March 10, 2026, the life of John T. Anthony, a 42-year-old man from Alton, Illinois, was tragically cut short. Gunshots echoed through the 700 block of Oakwood Estates, prompting multiple calls to 911. When Alton police officers arrived at the scene around 4:19 a.m., they discovered Anthony lying in the street, suffering from a gunshot wound.
He was rushed to a local hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
The investigation into the shooting moved swiftly. A person of interest was taken into custody shortly after the incident and was later identified as 19-year-old Isaih R. Pierson, also of Alton. According to police, witnesses identified Pierson as the shooter, and he later confessed to the crime. The weapon allegedly used in the shooting, a Cline C9 9mm handgun, was recovered from an apartment.
Within a day of the fatal shooting, the Madison County State's Attorney's Office filed formal charges against Pierson. He faces two counts of first-degree murder and one count of aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon, as he was under 21 and not legally permitted to possess the handgun outside of an apartment. A 20-year-old woman, Gnyia D. Hardimon, was also implicated in the case. She was charged with obstructing justice after allegedly providing false information to the authorities during their investigation. While Pierson was ordered to be held in the Madison County Jail, Hardimon was scheduled to be released with certain conditions.
