PEORIA, Ill. – A man will spend five decades in prison for a South Peoria murder five years ago over a $70 dispute.
The Peoria County State’s Attorney’s Office says 24-year-old Marvin Alexander was sentenced to 50 years on Wednesday for the murder of 19-year-old De’Monyae Phelps. He must serve 100% of the sentence.
The incident occurred on July 20th, 2021, when officers responded to the shooting and found a still-running car with Phelps slumped over the center console. Phelps was shot three times in the chest and pronounced dead at the scene.
Witnesses testified at the trial that a group of friends gathered on Shelley St. that evening after playing basketball at a nearby park. Phelps had arrived in his car, and saw Alexander shoot him after a confrontation. Two witnesses testified that Alexander was angry about the money he believed Phelps took from him.
Prosecutors described it as a “senseless murder” and argued for 45 years to natural life, saying that Alexander killed an unarmed man that was no threat to him. They asked the judge to impose a significant sentence as a way to deter others and hold Alexander accountable.
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