PEORIA, Ill. (25 News)– The attorney for a young woman charged with shooting her friend to death near Peoria’s Riverfront is asking that his client be released from jail before trial, claiming the teenager’s death was a “horrific accident and not an intentional act.”
25 News reports that Deziaah Hunter, now 20, is charged with the June 3, 2025 shooting death of 18-year-old Pekin resident Kenadee Wallenfang.
In a motion filed earlier this week, Defense Attorney Brian Hiatt provided new details about the circumstances of Wallenfang’s death.
According to the filing, Wallenfang was in the driver’s seat, Hunter was sitting behind her, and a mutual friend was sitting in the front passenger seat when the shooting occurred.
Wallenfang suffered a single gunshot wound fired through the driver’s headrest, a court document said.
According to the motion, Hunter reportedly pulled Wallenfang from the car and tried to revive her. Hunter had substantial amounts of blood on her hands, was extremely distraught, appeared to be very intoxicated, and at one point screamed, “Is she dead?”
Hunter is said to have told a detective that the gun must have fired accidentally, and she had no intention of shooting or killing her friend.
The motion filed by Hiatt states:
“The evidence in this case simply cannot prove defendant guilty of murder or aggravated battery. It stretches credibility to contend that defendant intentionally shot the victim – a friend of defendant – in the presence of a mutual friend, in broad daylight and while surrounded by multiple witnesses in a parking lot, and then remained at the scene to render aid and wait until police and paramedics arrived.”
In his motion, Hiatt notes Hunter has only one prior conviction for misdemeanor criminal damage to property. He argues Hunter should be released on house arrest with GPS monitoring and would comply with substance abuse testing and treatment.
According to 25 News, Peoria County Judge Katherine Gorman has scheduled a January 22 hearing to consider the defense request.
Prosecutors have not yet publicly responded to the motion for pretrial release.
Hunter’s jury trial is currently scheduled to begin February 2, 2026.
The shooting occurred near Peoria’s Riverfront area on June 3, 2025. Wallenfang, an 18-year-old from Pekin, died from the gunshot wound.
Hunter has remained in custody since her arrest in June.
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