On October 11, 2023, 16-year-old Mackenzie Bullard, a student in the Quincy School District, was found dead inside a residence in Quincy, Illinois. The incident occurred following an armed robbery, as revealed during court proceedings.
The Quincy/Adams County 911 Center received calls reporting suspicious circumstances and a shooting in the early hours of October 11. Specifically, a call came in at 4:15 a.m. from the 400 block of Gardner Park Drive, and another call around the same time from the 400 block of Scenic Drive reported someone had been shot. When officers arrived, they found Mackenzie Bullard dead inside a residence.
The investigation led to the arrest of several individuals in connection with her death. Tristian L. Johnson, 23, and Fallon M. Gillum, 20, both from Quincy, were arrested on November 17 on warrants for conspiracy to commit armed robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery. Additional charges filed included attempted armed robbery and attempted robbery. These charges are classified as Class 1 and Class 3 felonies, respectively, which could result in sentences ranging from four to 15 years and two to five years in the Illinois Department of Corrections if they are found guilty.
Assistant State's Attorney Josh Jones emphasized during court hearings that Mackenzie Bullard's death was a direct result of the actions of the defendants involved in the armed robbery. However, due to a change in Illinois felony murder laws three years prior, the defendants cannot be charged with first-degree murder, despite their moral and legal culpability in the homicide. The law now requires that the person who causes the death must be a direct participant in the felony.
The investigation is ongoing, with detectives collecting evidence, including electronic devices, and sending evidence to the Illinois State Police Crime Lab for forensic analysis. More arrests are anticipated as the investigation continues.
The case highlights the frustration of law enforcement and prosecutors due to the recent changes in felony murder laws, which they argue limit their ability to hold all participants in a felony responsible for resulting homicides.
