Newsroom

This week's Crime of the Week involves a strong armed robbery which occurred at the Head West Sandwich Shop on Toronto Road in Springfield on September 1st. The victim reported that he was making preparations to open the business at approximately 9:30 am when he was battered at the rear of the business by an unknown person. The six foot tall perpetrator was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with the hood concealing his entire face. He left the area eastbound on foot.

Crime Stoppers of Sangamon and Menard Counties announces that the Cold Case Homicide Enhanced Reward Program scheduled to end at the end of September 2016 has been extended for one month and will conclude on October 31, 2016. The special enhanced reward program offers a $5000 reward for any information which leads to an arrest in any “cold case” homicide in Sangamon or Menard County, regardless of how long ago the homicide occurred. Cold Case’s were defined as any homicide investigation in which all leads were exhausted and in which all witnesses, suspects, or persons with information had been interviewed with no arrest having resulted. In some cases, ‘persons of interest’ or suspects were established during the initial investigation however an insufficient amount of evidence was available to prosecute the offender. In those instances, prosecution could have been initiated with a key piece of solid information or the location of physical evidence to corroborate something that was identified during the police investigation. Although there were several tips presented to Crime Stoppers which were forwarded to investigators during recent weeks, none of the tips wielded new information sufficient to close a case. With this one month extension of the program, we are hoping that somehow new leads will materialize.

Victims: Christopher B. Nesch & James L. Crews
Location of Incident: 2035 Grant Street Springfield, IL (Laketown)
Date of Incident: 12/08/12

On December 8, 2012 at approximately 3:40 am, Deputies from the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the 2000 block of Grant Street in Springfield in the Laketown area regarding multiple gun shots which were heard in the area. Upon arrival, deputies found victims Christopher Nesch and James Crews who had been shot multiple times. Both Christopher Nesch and James Crews had been sitting in a vehicle which was parked on the roadway. Both victims died as a result of their injuries, Nesch at the scene and Crews while undergoing emergency treatment. Investigators determined that a dark colored vehicle, similar in make and model to a Dodge Charger was observed in the area at the time of the shooting.

An Armed Robbery to a person occurred at Spring and Cook Street outside of a convenience store on August 25th at 11 pm and police are hoping you can help identify the perpetrators. On that evening a customer was leaving the store when he was struck in the head and face with a handgun by a subject who was waiting in the lot. The suspect, a black male in his mid to late 20’s, fired one shot which grazed the victim. The suspect left with two other black males in a sky blue Dodge Journey. The incident was captured on surveillance video and can be seen by clicking "Read More".

Crime Stoppers is looking for tips about a shooting incident which occurred during the early morning hours of July 9th on Forest Avenue in Springfield. Sangamon County Sheriff detectives are investigating the shooting in which a person, who was sleeping in a mobile home, was shot by the occupant of a vehicle that drove through the mobile home park. The victim, who was not believed to have been targeted, died several days after being struck by the random shot. Detectives are analyzing security video from the area but need your tips to help solve this random act of violence.