On May 4, 2024, at approximately 2:50 p.m., the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a shooting at a mobile home park in the 1000 block of North Edmond Street in Springfield, Illinois. The victim, identified as Michael Newton, a 33-year-old man from Springfield, suffered at least one gunshot wound to the neck.
Newton was taken by EMS to HSHS St. John’s Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased at approximately 3:21 p.m. on the same day.
An autopsy performed on Monday confirmed that Newton died from a gunshot wound to the neck.
The investigation, conducted by the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Sangamon County Coroner’s Office and the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office, led to the identification of a suspect. Brandon L. Berner, a 23-year-old man from Springfield, was identified as the suspect during the course of the investigation.
On May 6, 2024, an arrest warrant was issued by the State’s Attorney’s Office charging Berner with three counts of first-degree murder in connection with Newton’s death. Berner turned himself in at the Springfield Police Department on Monday at 10:12 p.m. and was transported to the Sangamon County Jail. He was scheduled for a pre-trial detention hearing and arraignment on May 8, 2024, at 2:00 p.m..
