PEORIA, Ill. – Prosecutors have charged an 18-year-old with First Degree Murder in connection to a fatal October shooting in Central Peoria.
The Peoria County State’s Attorney’s Office says Cedric Kennedy will have a hearing Monday on a Petition to Detain. He is also charged with Aggravated Battery with a Firearm
Kennedy was 17 years old at the time of the shooting on October 26th, which claimed the life of 20-year-old Elisha Gilbert. The state’s attorney’s office says Kennedy will be tried as an adult because of the nature of the charge.
Gilbert died after suffering a gunshot wound to the chest, where prosecutors say a bullet traveled through him and into an 18-year-old female victim’s arm. Two shell casings were reportedly recovered from the scene of the shooting.
The female victim allegedly told police that she and Gilbert had gone to a house on Isabell the night of the shooting because he reportedly planned to sell a small amount of cannabis. Upon their arrival, a male that was allegedly later identified as Kennedy told Gilbert “let me get that” and then shot.
Prosecutors say Gilbert attempted to drive away, but was choking and crashed into a baseball field.
Prosecutors say a handgun was recovered in a separate investigation, and reportedly matched shell casings collected at the scene of the murder. The person in possession of the weapon reportedly told police that he had traded it through a third party.
In another investigation, a search warrant of Kennedy’s phone allegedly tied him to the murder through video evidence. Prosecutors say there was also a group chat where Kennedy reportedly told two juveniles to keep quiet. One of the juveniles had reportedly been with Kennedy the night of the shooting, and stated that Kennedy had allegedly admitted he had shot Gilbert.
Kennedy was arrested on Thursday.
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