In the late morning hours of February 27, 2018, a call reporting a shooting on Davis Street sent officers from the Monticello Police Department racing to the scene. There, they discovered 25-year-old Joshua Charles Martin suffering from a gunshot wound to his upper body. Emergency medical personnel transported Martin to Drew Memorial Hospital, but his injuries proved fatal, and he passed away the same day. Joshua was a male who had graduated from Monticello High School in 2010.
He was known for his infectious smile and his passion for football, particularly the Green Bay Packers.
Shortly after the incident, law enforcement officers took a suspect into custody. Emmitt Riley, a 59-year-old resident of Monticello, was arrested in connection with the shooting. He was subsequently held at the Drew County Detention Facility.
Prosecutors formally charged Emmitt Riley with first-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence in Joshua Martin's death. During the investigation, authorities located the firearm believed to have been used in the shooting hidden inside a grill at Riley's home. This discovery came after Riley allegedly told investigators he had disposed of the weapon in a creek. The case proceeded to trial in September of that year.
