Anthony E. Jackson, a 64-year-old resident of O'Fallon, Illinois, was fatally shot on August 12, 2023, in East St. Louis, Illinois. His body was found in a vacant lot on the 1700 block of Ridge Avenue with multiple gunshot wounds.
The investigation into Jackson's death was conducted jointly by the Illinois State Police and the East St. Louis Police Department.
During the investigation, authorities discovered that another man, Willie Wallace, 74, of Swansea, had also been found dead with multiple gunshot wounds about 3 miles away on the 700 block of North 55th Street. The homicides were determined to be connected.
As a result of the investigation, charges were filed against two suspects. Cierra Whitley, a 35-year-old woman from East St. Louis, and a 15-year-old boy, also from East St. Louis, were each charged with two counts of first-degree murder. Whitley was already in custody on unrelated charges at the time the murder charges were filed, while the juvenile was taken into custody and detained at the St. Clair County Juvenile Detention Center.
The case highlights the collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies in addressing and solving violent crimes in the region. The arrests and charges brought against the suspects mark a significant step in seeking justice for the victims and their families.
