Click here to see our subscription options. Read the News-Gazette on your mobile device just as it appears in print. The gun violence in the city has escalated since Stateman Hoffs death. Location of Occurrence: 1100 block of S. Randolph St., Champaign. The day after he killed Zhang, Christensen claimed he put Zhang's dismembered body in three separate garbage bags which he then disposed of in the dumpster outside of his apartment. Michigan leads Illinois 23-21 with 7:50 left in the first half. Of 15 murders in Champaign County during 2020, the instrument of death for 12 of those people was a gun. Date of Occurrence: August 9, 2014, at approximately 10:03 a.m. CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) The number of people murdered in the City of Champaign reached an all-time high in 2021. Winter. Champaign police said Friday that Keonte Campbell, 35, who is currently serving a prison sentence for selling crack cocaine, has been charged with the fatal shooting of Dehrone Hobbs, 38. The 2019 Champaign crime rate rose by 17% compared to 2018. The fund will be used to support international students in crisis and their families. The individual was [], On June 5, 2021, at approximately 5:45 p.m., Champaign Police responded to the area of Fifth Street and Beardsley Avenue for a reported shooting. A 21-year-old Champaign man was shot and killed early Sunday in north Champaign, the second homicide of 2019 in that city. Mr. Latest I-72 Champaign Illinois News Reports. CPD is always working to update this webpage. Social media, he said, has become a tool to call out others, or to quickly alert an ally to the location of a perceived enemy. March 29: Kimberly Coyne, 54; and her daughter Blair Coyne, 24, shot in their home in the 1600 block of County Road 2200 E, northwest of St. Joseph; Jonathan Perry, 29, awaiting trial for their murders. Larry lived alone at his residence with about 60 acres of land at 30269 McDaniel School Road Tamms, IL. According to reports, two unknown male suspects forced entry into the home firing gunshots; wounding one individual and fatally striking Mr. White. Location of Occurrence: 200 block of E. Springfield Ave., Champaign. Officer Tatman was pronounced deceased on the scene from an apparent gunshot wound. The rate for violent crimes including rape, homicide, robbery and aggravated assault was 406.9 per 100,000. DANVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) A Champaign man has been convicted for his role in the murder of two men in Danville more than five years ago. Long said that Zhang's body still being missing weighed against Christensen, and that Christensen was the last person to see Zhang. Date of Occurrence: August 20, 2020, at approximately 1:51 a.m. The City-Data.com crime index weighs serious crimes and violent crimes more heavily. Date of Occurrence: December 17, 2012, at approximately 7:22 p.m. Jan 30, 1991. [12] As the hours passed, Zhang's friends, aware of her errand and expecting her to return quickly, grew increasingly worried. One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021. [10], On the afternoon of June 9, 2017, Zhang was traveling on a Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD) bus in Urbana, Illinois, to an off-campus apartment complex where she was planning to sign a new apartment lease. The task of entering all Illinois deaths before 1916 is far from complete. Oct. 8: Martin Morrow, 29, of Urbana, shot multiple times in the middle of West William Street near Duncan Road; no arrests. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Learn More. Cello12345. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Location of Occurrence: 1700 block of Gentry Square Ln., Champaign. Its no secret that there are often several casings, and in some shootings, were starting to see rifle rounds, he said. While Mount Vernon takes the cake for most dangerous city statewide overall, there's nowhere more violent in Illinois than Danville. A rough year for gunfire, deaths in Champaign County, Indonesia fuel depot fire kills 19; 3 still missing, Trump pitches a sequel, but shies away from attacking rivals, China sets this year's economic growth target at 'around 5%', Can't take statins? What a game', 'Craziness' of Illini helps secure double overtime win, Editorial | White Castle ruling leaves bad taste in business community's mouth, New Illini-centered name, image, likeness collective targets big-dollar donations, Man charged in connection with 35 pounds of cannabis in his home. [42][43] In October 2019, Christensen was transferred to FTC Oklahoma City for evaluation and processing. They concluded that the car in the footage belonged to Christensen. According to police, on December 8, Police arrested Arieana F. Colbert,. Towels were all over as if the laundry was done right in the office lobby. Champaign Police and Champaign Fire rendered medical aid until Ms. Ingram-Triner was transported [], On Thursday, July 29, at approximately 7:36 p.m., Champaign Police were notified of a missing 14-year-old juvenile from the 900 block of Harvard Street, Champaign. I find it embarrassing, said Griffet, who said theres a large number of young men involved in gun violence for whom diplomacy is a foreign concept. Expand. The Illinois State Police (ISP) says a black Kia . Mr. Roth was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Biden defends Afghanistan exit, Newsfeed Now: Last US troops leave Afghanistan; Man, Newsfeed Now: US racing to finish Afghanistan withdrawal;, Newsfeed Now: The nation mourns after US service, Celebrating Central Illinois: First Responders, Fallen officer Chris Oberheims partner opens up, Plans move forward for Urbana solar farm that could, Champaign community raises $25,000 and counting for, Champaign Co. deputys passion to serve stronger, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. A federal jury has found Brendt Christensen guilty. Location of Occurrence: 1300 block of N. Chestnut St., Champaign. Feb 20, 2015 at 10:25 am. Communication or a physical encounter is not something they wish to partake in, he theorized. The local violent crime rate is 12.3% higher now than it was in 2019. UPDATE: Tornado watch issued until 3 p.m. Roselle man in custody in 2021 shooting of North Prospect Avenue motorist, Good Morning, Illini Nation: Big Ten standings update, Epps 'doing better' after hospitalization, Bob's buzzer beaters | 'What a game. [2], On June 15, local police and FBI investigators questioned Christensen and executed a search warrant for his car. [29][28], On July 12, 2017, a federal grand jury formally indicted Christensen for kidnapping Zhang. Date of Occurrence: July 1, 2020, at approximately 11:50 p.m. The News-Gazette mobile app brings you the latest local breaking news, updates, and more. And she suspects before, or sentenced to death", "Champaign Man Arrested, Charged with Kidnapping Visiting Scholar", "Flowers, anger, regret as accused kidnapper indicted", "Grand Jury Indicts Champaign Man on Charge of Kidnapping", "Accused kidnapper's attorney says he'll plead not guilty today", "Defense in trial of China scholar's brutal death: He did it", "In opening statement, attorney admits Brendt Christensen abducted, killed Chinese scholar at University of Illinois", "Brendt Christensen found guilty in Yingying Zhang's kidnapping, killing", "Life in prison for man convicted of killing Chinese student", "A father's plea to a killer: Tell us where our daughter's remains are", "Yingying Zhang's Family Told Her Body Likely In Landfill Near Danville, But 'May Be Impossible' To Recover", "Finding Yingying Zhang's Remains 'May Be Impossible' Family Says After New Details Surface", "Brendt Christensen Moved to Kentucky Prison to Serve Out Life Sentence", "UI again files motion to have lawsuit from slain scholar's family dismissed", "Visiting Scholar From China, Remembered With A Garden At U Of I", "Memorial garden dedicated to missing scholar Yingying Zhang", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Murder_of_Yingying_Zhang&oldid=1142917489, Anti-Chinese sentiment in the United States, Anti-Chinese violence in the United States, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using embedded infobox templates with the title parameter, Articles containing simplified Chinese-language text, Articles containing traditional Chinese-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 5 March 2023, at 00:55. We do not want to see any more moms hurting any longer, Hoff shared.Meanwhile, Urbana police reported 10 homicides for 2021, also a record. Upon arrival, officers located a male victim, later identified as Mr. Roth, who had sustained life-threatening injuries. [9] She was considering entering a doctoral program at the University of Illinois. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Mr.. #6 Best Places to Live in Champaign County. Your chance of being a victim of murder in Champaign County may be as high as 1 in 9,135 in the central neighborhoods, or as . Shortly after 1:00 a.m. on November 25, Tatman radioed dispatch that he was stopping a vehicle. July 27: Richard J. Wright, 23, of Champaign; died from stabbing about 3 a.m. at 1404 Silver Street; no arrests. He was never found. You have permission to edit this article. The Clery Act is a federal law that requires universities to collect and report crime statistics and campus safety policies. The number of homicides stood at 2 - a decrease of 5 compared to 2018. According to reports, while outside, a Black male, over 6 ft in height, wearing a red puffy coat approached Thomas and his wife, demanding money. Four individuals were identified as sustaining gunshot wounds and were treated at area hospitals. [2][29] Christensen bragged to his girlfriend that he was a serial killer and that Zhang was his thirteenth victim, but investigators were unable to find any other victims, and doubted this claim. The investigation revealed that Hull had been physically assaulted, including sustaining multiple stab wounds. [16][17] On June 19, the University of Illinois in conjunction with Champaign County Crime Stoppers, announced a reward of $40,000 for information leading to the arrest of the individual or individuals responsible for the apparent kidnapping of Zhang. Its a sign of strength, he said. Larry Leon McNelly, 59, 9/10/2019 Tamms, Alexander County, IL - missing, found murdered: unsolved. [2], The University of Illinois Police Department and Urbana Police Department worked with FBI agents to locate Zhang, offering a reward of US$10,000 for information leading to her location. Champaign and Urbana mirrored the national trends. Nov. 12: Gerryontae Brown, 16, shot to death in his own home in the 600 block of East Eureka Street; Calvin Williams, 18, of Champaign, awaiting trial for murder. That was no ordinary crime wave the United States experienced last year. Violent crimes include murder, rape, robbery and assault. April 6, 2023. Steve Chen. He had been physically battered and was without a pulse. Cain, was transported to the Champaign County Jail where he will remain. She developed the ancillary materials for the sixth edition of Advanced Fitness Assessment and Exercise Prescription in addition to coauthoring the seventh edition. Champaign Police Department What police are finding is that not only are there more shootings, but there has been a significant increase in the amount of firepower. The Illinois State Police, Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, and the Nokomis Police Department are seeking assistance regarding the homicide of Shana Marie Jaros, of Nokomis, Illinois. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk). Green counties have prevalences below the state rate of 9.1%, and red counties have prevalences at 9.1% or higher. Zhang has one younger brother, Zhengyang. Champaign reported 827 violent crimes in 2020 (the same number as 2019), and Urbana reported a significant increase, from 124 incidents in 2019 to 214 in 2020. It was higher than in 74.9% U.S. cities. Wish they were still in business. Homicide of Montrez Vonner Date of Occurrence: March 11, 2018, at approximately 1:15 a.m. After resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, Mr. Ledbetter was pronounced deceased at a local hospital. New pill cuts cholesterol, heart attacks, Fiery tanker crash kills driver, burns Maryland homes, Marianne Williamson begins longshot 2024 challenge to Biden. Discuss Champaign, Illinois (IL) on our hugely popular Illinois forum. 1. Nevertheless, Aurora has a disturbing number of violent and non-violent crimes. The ratio of all residents to sex offenders in Champaign is 643 to 1. Date of Occurrence: September 19, 1997, at approximately 1:40p.m. One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021. Champaign Police Department Location of Occurrence: 400 block of West Vine St., Champaign. Community Services Investigations Webpage Please send any seating requests to Ashley Sims at anowen2@illinois.edu. The U.S. murder rate jumped by 30% from 2019 to 2020, an increase attributed to a variety of factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic. The schools are top notch with a highly involved community.. View nearby homes. Police plea for more witnesses of gun-related crime to come forward, something they say is a primary hindrance in solving cases. RANTOUL - Mary Jane Bryan, 92, of Rantoul passed away Sunday (Feb. 19, 2023). Homicide numbers were at a 10-year high in Springfield, Decatur and Kankakee. Bob . [38][10] Evidence was provided that before Christensen abducted Zhang, he had posed as an undercover police officer and attempted to abduct graduate student Emily Hogan. The kidnapping and murder of Yingying Zhang occurred in Urbana, Illinois on June 9, 2017, when Zhang, a visiting Chinese scholar at the University of Illinois UrbanaChampaign, was abducted by Brendt Allen Christensen, a Champaign resident and former physics graduate student at the university. Police investigations Lt. Ben Newell credited really good investigative work by Detective Steve Vogel in closing what had been considered a cold case. Description: On December 8, 1995, Officers were dispatched to the 1700 block of Gentry Square Ln., for a person found deceased. [21][22], The university announced that they planned to install additional, high-definition, security cameras throughout the campus. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2013 with a bachelor's degree in math and physics and graduated with a master's degree in physics from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in May 2017. Non-emergency: 217-333-8911 The room looked nice but the halls to the room were also dark . Thats not what were talking about. [12] Christensen, born June 30, 1989, is a former Ph.D. student at the University of Illinois. The task force took nearly 100 guns off the street last year. 1,374 views 0 comments 3 Gia Marie Wright Sep 14, 2018 8 min Rumblings from the Downstate Illinois Innocence Project, The Center on Wrongful Convictions at Northwestern University and an impending show on CBS's 48 Hours were that two men had been wrongfully convicted for these murders. [23], Investigators were unable to discern the license plate number of the vehicle from security camera footage. Law enforcement agencies then placed Christensen under continuous surveillance, beginning on or about June 16. An Illinois man convicted of killing Yingying Zhang, a Chinese international student studying at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, in 2017 has been sentenced to life in prison. [4] She played in a band and had ambitions of becoming a professor in China. There were 13 homicides in Danville in 2020, or 17.4 per 100,000 people -- well more than double the 6.5 per 100,000 national murder rate. Krannert Art Museum. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. Three At-Large Champaign City Council Seats Attract Eight Candidates In April 2nd Election; Danville's Four Mayoral Candidates Present Cases For Fighting Crime, Boosting Economy; Election 2019: Community Questionnaires Answered By Central Illinois Candidates; Election 2019: Champaign Mayoral Candidate Cobbs Says, "We Need To Lift Everybody . Champaign, Illinois, United States . AUTHOR TO TALK ABOUT 'BUCKET LIST' BOOK. East St. Louis Source: Public domain Overall SnackAbility 3 /10 Population: 26,277 Rank Last Year: 68 Murders: 36 (2nd Most) Murders Per 100k: 137.0 (Most) More on East St. Louis: Data | Photos 2. Location of Occurrence: W. Church St., West of Mattis Ave., Champaign. 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm. Most accurate 2021 crime rates for Champaign, IL. As officers and medical personnel arrived, they determined Mr. Boyd to be deceased with injuries that suggested foul play was involved. Most recently, Ohio State defeated Illinois 72-60 on Sunday . Mr. Henderson was determined deceased by an inflicted gunshot wound and foul play was suspected. Nobody fist fights. Jackson failed to return home or contact any family and was reported missing on November 29, 2011. Champaign, IL 162 contributions. 03/04/2023. There were 11 homicides in the two cities, including nine in Champaign. Officers located Ms. Melchi inside her residence, with evidence suggesting that foul play was involved in her death. $48/person. Biden announces aggressive new, Newsfeed Now: Biden to launch new plan against COVID-19, Newsfeed Now: Health experts concerned about COVID-19, Newsfeed Now: Pres. Pick the brain of veteran News-Gazette columnist Tom Kacich and veteran WDWS/WHMS radio personality Kathy Reiser. [14] The university's large Chinese student population helped coordinate search efforts on and around campus. PEORIA, Ill. (WLS) -- During opening statements in the trial of a man accused of killing a Chinese scholar at the University of Illinois Wednesday, the defense for Brendt Christensen acknowledged. [23] However, they determined that there were 18 four-door Saturn Astras registered to owners in the Champaign County area. *Date of occurrence may refer to the time the incident was reported to police. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. Written by experts G. Gregory Haff and Charles Dumke, the text builds upon the success of the first edition with full-color images and the addition of . Description:Mr.Taylor had just exited a cab and was walking away when he was struck from behind and battered by an unknown suspect who took his wallet and fled. He was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. 7:00pm - 10:00pm. [18] This reward is the largest offered in the 31-year history of the Champaign Crime Stoppers organization. AP / Macon County Sheriff's Office. According to our research of Illinois and other state lists, there were 133 registered sex offenders living in Champaign, Illinois as of March 04, 2023. Partly cloudy skies. It may be three of your friends from the neighborhood, and you decide to bond together and look out for each other, he said. Chapter 55, 1201 of federal law. Champaign Police contacted the father of the reported missing juvenile, who informed police the juvenile left the familys residence at approximately 5 p.m. If a photo is mailed in, please let us know if you would like it to be returned and include a return address. In Champaign, Illinois you have a 1 in 144 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime. Make a night of it! Police will arrange to speak privately with you. The News-Gazette mobile app brings you the latest local breaking news, updates, and more. 217-403-6904 (fax). Although, the effort overlaps some. Champaign is currently growing at a rate of 0.81% annually and its population has increased by 2.46% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 88,302 in 2020. [12] Investigators noted that the passenger door of his car "appeared to have been cleaned to a more diligent extent than the other vehicle doors", which they said "may be indicative of an attempt or effort to conceal or destroy evidence". It is believed that the homicide occurred between the dates of December 22-24, 1991. New pill cuts cholesterol, heart attacks, Fiery tanker crash kills driver, burns Maryland homes, Marianne Williamson begins longshot 2024 challenge to Biden. Most officers dont even carry 50 bullets on their person, said Champaign police Sgt. In 2020, 57 were shot, and 34 in 2019. Your chance of being a victim of murder in Champaign may be as high as 1 in 9,241 in the east neighborhoods, or as low as 1 in 26,751 in the south . He told the court that Christensen had attended a vigil held for Zhang on June 29, where he had described "the characteristics of his ideal victim", and had pointed out those in the crowd who matched them. Griffet is also assigned by his department to the U.S. O'Connor killed a police officer and was scheduled to be executed when he escaped. A lot of criminals are using handguns with extended magazines, 30-round capacities, or even drum magazines which have 50-round capacities, Coon said of recent trends among the guns recovered. The creation of Illinois Statewide Death index is an ongoing project of the Illinois State Archives. I just think the situations presented themselves during a pandemic, he said. [26], Investigators interviewed Christensen on June 12, 2017, and inspected his car. ", "Defense Attorney: 'Brendt Christensen Killed Yingying Zhang', "The Chilling Murder of a Chinese Student on a US Campus, and Why Justice Is Elusive", "Grand jury indicts former U. of I. physics student in Chinese scholar's kidnapping", "Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences: College of ACES, University of Illinois", "FBI Investigates Chinese Woman's Disappearance as Kidnapping", "United States of America vs. Brendt A. Christensen, Jury Trial (Volume 8A)", "MTD: It's wrong to blame bus driver who didn't stop for scholar", United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois, "Surveillance Video of Missing Student Yingying Zhang", "FBI offers up to $10,000 reward for info leading to missing scholar", "Chinese UI students helping with search for missing countrywoman", "Missing student's family arrives in US, FBI offers reward- World Chinadaily.com.cn", "Updated: Separate $40,000 reward announced in case of missing UI scholar", "Missing UI scholar's family 'will not leave without her', "Missing UI scholar's family appeals to Trump for help finding her", "FBI investigating possible sightings of missing Illinois student", "Salem Police Say Asian Woman Seen In Salem Last Month Wasn't Missing Kidnap Victim", "University of Illinois increasing security on campus following kidnapping", "One Hundred and Forty-Sixth Commencement", "Christensen's ex-wife testifies about marital issues", "Prosecutor: Suspect in Chinese student's kidnapping discussed 'ideal victim', "Bail denied for suspect in kidnapping of U of I scholar", "Brendt Christensen, accused killer of Chinese scholar Zhang Yingying, laughed about how he 'chopped her head off', girlfriend says", "Zhang Yingying killed more details exposed! The 34-year-old female, identified as Ms. Cobb, succumbed to her injuries a short time after the incident occurred. On May 5, 2019, at approximately 1:49 a.m., Champaign Police responded to an apartment complex parking lot in the 400 block of Edgebrook Dr. following reports of a shooting. He is the brother of Keith Campbell, 30, who is awaiting trial for murder in the July 2018 fatal shooting of Martez Taylor outside a house party in Urbana. Anonymous tips may also be submitted to Crime Stoppers by phone at: 217- 373-8477 (TIPS); online at www.373tips.com; or the P3 Tips mobile app. Vogel recognized that and thought this could be the suspects blood on the pants. Adams County. [2] In 2013, Zhang graduated from Sun Yat-sen University at the top of her class. Some parts 2023 Advameg, Inc. Crime rate in Champaign, Illinois (IL): murders, rapes, robberies, assaults, burglaries, thefts, auto thefts, arson, law enforcement employees, police officers, crime map. Officers immediately began lifesaving attempts until the victim was able [], Charges Filed in July 14, 2022, Shooting Death Investigation, Arrest Made in Champaign Park Apartments Homicide, Champaign Police, Champaign County Sheriffs Office, and Champaign County Coroners Office Investigating Homicide, Champaign County States Attorneys Office, Homicide Investigation 3000 Block of Edward Hoffman Drive, One Deceased, Four injured, in Afternoon Shooting, Homicide Investigation- 500 Block East Beardsley Avenue, Warrant Issued, Suspect in Custody in Nov. 12 Homicide Investigation, Champaign Police Investigating Early Evening Homicide, Arrest Made in February 3, 2020, Homicide Investigation, Homicide Investigation 100 Block of North State Street.