UPDATED 6:49 P.M.
Two teenagers have been arrested in connection to a homicide last November at a Peoria apartment complex.
The Peoria County State’s Attorney’s Office says Dayquan Diggs and Harrington Wadlington, both 17-years-old, are charged with First Degree Murder, and will be tried as adults. They are also charged with burglary.
Diggs and Wadlington were arrested yesterday in connection to the death of 23-year-old Clay Megan at the Wood Sage Apartments in the early morning hours of November 4th last year.
Megan suffered a gunshot wound to the neck and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Prosecutors say surveillance video was used to develop a suspect vehicle, which was previously reported stolen, that had multiple juvenile males burglarizing vehicles inside it.
One of the suspects reportedly identified Diggs and Harrington as the shooters the night of the murder.
The investigation into the shooting continues.
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UPDATED 12:30 P.M.
PEORIA, Ill. – Peoria’s top cop and prosecutor are urging parents to take a more active role in their children’s lives after the arrest of two teenagers on murder charges.
Peoria Police says two 17-year-olds were arrested Thursday on First Degree Murder charges, as well as burglary to motor vehicle, in the death of 23-year-old Clay Megan.
The shooting occurred at the Wood Sage Apartments on North Scrimshaw in the early morning hours of November 4th last year. That’s when police responded to reports of four males breaking into vehicles and gunshots fired.
Megan suffered a gunshot wound to the neck and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Peoria Police Chief Eric Echevarria says he vowed to Megan’s father to bring closure to the case.
“I made him a promise that we were going to do everything we could to bring resolution to this,” Echevarria said. “He deserves it, his family deserves it, his son deserves it, this should have never happened.”
Peoria County State’s Attorney Jodi Hoos says the 17-year-olds will be tried as adults. She notes that 3 youths have been charged with murder so far in 2025, and says it’s part of a growing trend of youth violence in the area.
“When I started as an assistant state’s attorney in 2000, I was an assistant for about 15 years. During that timespan, we had one juvenile charged with murder,” Hoos said.
Hoos says violent offenders are getting younger and younger, and says it’s not an issue confined to the Peoria area, noting that it’s a society issue.
Echevarria urged parents to take a more active role in their children’s lives, specifically knowing what they’re doing and who they’re hanging out with.
“It’s my responsibility to raise mine. It’s the responsibility of our community members to raise theirs. And it gets too late if you wait until something like this happens to be in your child’s life,” Echevarria said.
Echevarria says he also wants police, schools, and the state’s attorney’s office to stop being blamed for youth violence issues. He notes that resources are available through the school districts for families that need help, such as mental health and counseling services.
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PEORIA, Ill. – Two teenagers have been arrested in connection to a homicide last November at a Peoria apartment complex.
Peoria Police Chief Eric Echevarria says two 17-year-olds were arrested Thursday on First Degree Murder charges, as well as burglary to motor vehicle, in the death of 23-year-old Clay Megan.
The shooting occurred at the Wood Sage Apartments on North Scrimshaw in the early morning hours of November 4th last year.
That’s when police responded to reports of four males breaking into vehicles and gunshots fired.
Megan suffered a gunshot wound to the neck and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Peoria County State’s Attorney Jodi Hoos says they will try the 17-year-olds as adults.
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