BILL KNIGHT
Last year, Peoria County had the highest number of homicides since 2019, approaching the dismal statistic logged by Cook County.
The 34 murder victims mean a murder rate of 18.9/100,000 people, compared to Cook County’s 21/100,000 stemming from its 1,087 homicides.
Elsewhere, several downstate metro areas with histories of significant murder rates are expected to show higher rates, too. For now, 2021 data hasn’t been released for Danville, the Quad Cities, Rockford and Springfield, but the most recent FBI Uniform Crime Reports showed Danville with a murder rate of 17.4/100,000; the Quad Cities (Davenport, Moline, Rock Island) 6.9/100,000; Rockford 10.8/100,000 and Springfield 5.8/100,000.
Murder is more than a mix of tragedy and fear, of course. As 17th century poet John Donne wrote, “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend’s or of thine own were: any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee.”
More recently, survivors of such deaths cried, “Say their names!”
Those names, according to records from Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood, in alphabetical order:
Eric D’Wayne Bailey, 27
Zamion Patrick Tre’Michael Bailey, 22
Jeffrey Allan Blevins, 49
Kandon Lee Bonner, 20
Rayton M. W. Brock, 15
Brian Lavell Bruce Jr., 27
Darius Malik Dawson, 30
Labaron M. Duff, 23
Deshawnteris Lyrell Terrell Edwards, 12
Mona Ellison, 50
Demarcus Cortez Ferrell, 25
Jevon Marcell Gilliam, 31
Josiah I. Hanson, 28
J’naysia Nicole-Muriel-Marie Hobbs, 24
Michael Anthony Charles Johnson II, 21
Bobby Raetwaun King, 31
William H. Marshall, 92
Adrian Kendrell Murphy, 35
Isaac Payton, 35
Joshua W. Perkins, 34
De’Monyae Zaire Phelps, 19
Dequwan Lamar Pruitt, 15
Martez Savion Lamont Robertson, 19
Marteil D. Robinson, 31
Matthew C. Smith, 18
Jerry Leshawn Snipes Jr., 17
Ashley B. Tankersley, 37
Danielle Rose Thomas, 33
Tracie Ann Turnbow, 59
Jamiyla Bre’yelle Webster-Carlton, 23 days
Rolando William Westbrook Jr., 37
Rashad Mikel Williams, 19
Ashton Winfrey, 25
Conner W. Yeo, 2 months