PEORIA, Ill. – A guilty plea has been entered by a man for his role in a New Year’s Day 2022 fatal shooting in Peoria that left a woman dead.
The Peoria County State’s Attorney’s Office says 30-year-old Robert White pleaded guilty Wednesday to Second Degree Murder and Aggravated Battery with a Firearm, in the death of 35-year-old Bridgett Ross.
Prosecutors say the shooting took place just after midnight on New Year’s Day. The evening started when White was celebrating at the home of Daniella Jackson and Levi Conway.
White shot Conway and Jackson multiple times, then fled the scene. Conway survived, but Jackson died.
White was sentenced to 69 years in prison for her death in July of 2023.
Officers then responded to a second shooting, not knowing the two were connected. Ross and a male victim were found suffering from gunshot wounds, but Ross was later pronounced dead at a hospital. The male victim survived.
Police learned that after the first shooting, White fled to Ross’ apartment and fired a shot from the hallway through her door. The bullet struck the male in the neck before it struck and killed Ross.
White was sentenced to 30 years in prison in total for Ross’ death, with all the sentences to be served one after the other. He will serve a total of 99 years.
The state’s attorney’s office says the plea deal made was in deference to the victim’s family, who wished to avoid another trial. Prosecutors say the family requested that White spend the rest of his life in prison.
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