PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria County judge has changed his mind on a man convicted of murder last year.
42-year-old David Stone was convicted of First-Degree Murder in October 2025 by Judge Stephen Kouri in a bench trial. He was convicted for the death of 34-year-old Arlin Bermudez-Castellon under Illinois’ accountability law, because he participated in the shooting with the co-defendant, Mickael Williams.
But at Wednesday’s sentencing hearing for Stone, Kouri changed his decision to involuntary manslaughter. Stone was then sentenced to 10 years in prison, when he could have faced up to 75 years for the murder conviction.
The shooting happened in the area of Thrush and Peoria on January 4th, 2024, where police found Castellon was found with multiple gunshot wounds, and later died at a hospital.
Prosecutors objected to the change of the conviction from murder to involuntary manslaughter.
Williams is charged with First-Degree Murder, and his case is pending.
Comments