PEORIA, Ill. – A jury has been seated in the murder trial of Robert Ely.
25 News reports it took three hours on Tuesday to seat the five men and seven women who will serve on the jury.
Ely, 57, is accused in the January 2021 murder of Dr. William Marshall at his home. He is accused of conning his way into Marshall’s home, before stabbing and killing him.
Ely is facing two counts of First-Degree Murder, along with burglary and theft charges. He has pleaded not guilty. The trial is scheduled to begin on Wednesday.
Peoria County State’s Attorney Jodi Hoos previously stated that Ely is believed to have been part of a larger burglary ring that targeted people across central Illinois, specifically elderly people that lived alone. She says Marshall suffered multiple stab wounds and had defensive wounds on his hands.
Peoria Police detectives had found a storage unit belonging to Ely with items stolen during burglaries, including paintings stolen from Marshall.
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