9/1/2012: I bring both sad and good news for you this morning. Jessica Evans (1...
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9/1/2012: I bring both sad and good news for you this morning. Jessica Evans (17/left) and Jacob Wheeler (22/right) of White County, Illinois have both been ▬►LOCATED DECEASED. Danny Coston (36/bottom) has been ▬►CHARGED WITH THEIR MURDERS and is being held on $3 million bond.
Article: An autopsy is scheduled for Saturday on the body of a Southern Illinois man found Friday night in a rural area of Wayne County.
White County Sheriff Doug Maier says it's believed 22-year-old Jacob Wheeler has been dead for six days.
Wheeler and 17-year-old Jessica Evans were reported missing Sunday after going camping and fishing near the Little Wabash River.
Evans' body was found Monday in the bed of Wheeler's truck.
Sheriff Maier says 36-year-old Danny Coston was arrested Friday afternoon and charged with two counts of first degree murder. He's being held in the White County Jail on a 3-million dollar bond.
Authorities say they discovered Friday that evidence from the crime scene indicated a second vehicle was involved. Deputies say parts from a vehicle which had been wrecked were matched to a vehicle belonging to Coston.
The sheriff's office says Coston was then taken in for questioning and confessed to murdering both Wheeler and Evans.
Maier is calling this a "random type situation" that turned into a horrible event.
The sheriff tells 14 News Coston knew Jacob's father, but not the victims.
Authorities say they believe they have a motive, but aren't releasing any details yet.
Maier says formal charges against Coston could come on Tuesday.
"We hope this brings some closure to the families of Jessica and Jacob," said Sheriff Maier. "Our thoughts are with them."
SOURCE: http://www.14news.com/
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Boyfriend's body found overnight, Carmi man arrested for young couple's murder
By Carly O'Keefe
A man is behind bars following a shocking turn in a murder investigation in White County.
A young couple vanished last weekend while on a camping and fishing trip near the Little Wabash River. Seventeen-year-old Jessica Evans' body was found Monday afternoon in the bed of her boyfriend, 22-year-old Jacob Wheeler's pickup truck. That discovery sent authorities on a search for Wheeler.
Last week, Wheeler was considered a person of interest in Evans' death. White County Sheriff Doug Maier now confirms Wheeler's body found early Saturday morning in a rural area of Wayne County.
The Sheriff says evidence of a second vehicle shed some light on the case Friday. Pieces of a wrecked vehicle found near the scene were linked to a Carmi man. He was brought in for questioning and the Sheriff says he confessed to killing the couple.
Now 36-year-old Danny Coston of Carmi is charged with two counts of first degree murder.
Sheriff Maier calls the crime a "random type situation" that turned into a horrible event.
The sheriff says Coston knew Wheeler's father, but did not know Jacob Wheeler or Jessica Evans.
Authorities say they believe they know the motive in this case, but aren't releasing any details on that yet.
The sheriff says the state's attorney will file formal charges against Coston after the holiday weekend. In the meantime, Coston is being held on $3 million bond on two counts of first degree murder.
Wheeler's autopsy is scheduled to take place Saturday.
SOURCE: http://m.kfvs12.com/
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8/31/2012: White County, Illinois: White County Sheriff Doug Maier has confirmed that an arrest has been made in connection with the shooting death of 17-year-old Jessi Evans (left) of Norris City.
Police are now searching for the body of her boyfriend, 22-year-old Jacob Wheeler (right) of Norris City who has been missing since Sunday. Jessica's body was found Monday in the back of Wheeler's pickup truck.
Sheriff Maier has not identified the suspect at this time. The case is now being investigated as a double homicide.
While officials are actively searching for Wheeler Friday, Norris City residents tell 14 News the news of Jessica Evans' death has been hard on everyone who knew her.
"It hit hard, being 17, so young and beautiful," said Crossroads Bible Church Worship Leader Kimberly Hughes.
Hughes says, when she met Jessica Evans at church a few years ago, "She was just really a sweet girl right off the bat, super bubbly and super friendly, so we got to know her quickly."
Hughes says, in the past, Jessica had been involved in the youth group at Crossroads, and played acoustic guitar at church services.
She tells us the news of Jessica's death was difficult for everyone.
"Spent most of band practice just kind of putting music aside and just praying for family and friends that were super close with her."
Friday afternoon, the White County Sheriff's Office was back out in the area where Wheeler's truck was found, trying to find any information on where Wheeler might be.
Deputies say, around 3:30 Friday morning, a helicopter from the Illinois Department of Transportation searched the area too, using special heat sensing technology, but didn't find Wheeler.
While officials search for clues, those who knew Evans are hoping closure comes soon.
"Just praying for those involved and the police, and that justice would come and that the family would feel love and that they would just feel support," said Hughes.
The visitation for Evans is Friday night, and her funeral Saturday at Crossroads Bible Church.
SOURCE: http://www.14news.com/
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8/27/2012: Illinois Man WANTED in Connection with MURDER of Teen Girlfriend: White County, Illinois: After the body of missing Jessica M. Evans (17/left) was found today, 8/27/2012, in the back of her boyfriend’s pickup truck, police want to talk to her boyfriend. Police are calling Jessica's death a murder and are looking for Jacob C. Wheeler (22/right). They have named him a person of interest in her death.
Jessica and her boyfriend were reported missing Sunday evening, 8/26/2012, after Evans failed to show up for work at 5 a.m. Sunday.
White County Sheriff Doug Maier said a volunteer searcher on a 4-wheeler found Wheeler’s grey pickup truck down a steep embankment in thick woods near the Little Wabash River in northern White County shortly before 3 p.m. Monday.
Authorities have confirmed the body found in the back of the back of the truck was Jessica M. Evans.
Police are searching for Wheeler for questioning. “We are handling this as a homicide,” Maier said. “While we don’t know at this time if he is a witness, victim or suspect in her death, he is certainly being considered a person of interest.”
Wheeler is described as a white male – 5’ 8” tall with brown hair and blue eyes. Police say they have no idea if he is in a vehicle, since his pickup truck has been found.
Illinois State Police detectives and White County Sheriff’s detectives are combing two potential crime scenes – the campsite where the two are believed to have spent Saturday night – and the location where the body was found. Witnesses said the two sites were about a mile apart.
Shortly after 7 p.m. Monday, a K-9 unit from the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department in Fairfield, Ill., arrived to help search the are where the body was found.
Wheeler is a veteran of the Army, having recently completed a three-year tour of duty in Iraq.
Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call the White County Sheriff’s Department at 618-382-5321.
Article: An autopsy is scheduled for Saturday on the body of a Southern Illinois man found Friday night in a rural area of Wayne County.
White County Sheriff Doug Maier says it's believed 22-year-old Jacob Wheeler has been dead for six days.
Wheeler and 17-year-old Jessica Evans were reported missing Sunday after going camping and fishing near the Little Wabash River.
Evans' body was found Monday in the bed of Wheeler's truck.
Sheriff Maier says 36-year-old Danny Coston was arrested Friday afternoon and charged with two counts of first degree murder. He's being held in the White County Jail on a 3-million dollar bond.
Authorities say they discovered Friday that evidence from the crime scene indicated a second vehicle was involved. Deputies say parts from a vehicle which had been wrecked were matched to a vehicle belonging to Coston.
The sheriff's office says Coston was then taken in for questioning and confessed to murdering both Wheeler and Evans.
Maier is calling this a "random type situation" that turned into a horrible event.
The sheriff tells 14 News Coston knew Jacob's father, but not the victims.
Authorities say they believe they have a motive, but aren't releasing any details yet.
Maier says formal charges against Coston could come on Tuesday.
"We hope this brings some closure to the families of Jessica and Jacob," said Sheriff Maier. "Our thoughts are with them."
SOURCE: http://www.14news.com/
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Boyfriend's body found overnight, Carmi man arrested for young couple's murder
By Carly O'Keefe
A man is behind bars following a shocking turn in a murder investigation in White County.
A young couple vanished last weekend while on a camping and fishing trip near the Little Wabash River. Seventeen-year-old Jessica Evans' body was found Monday afternoon in the bed of her boyfriend, 22-year-old Jacob Wheeler's pickup truck. That discovery sent authorities on a search for Wheeler.
Last week, Wheeler was considered a person of interest in Evans' death. White County Sheriff Doug Maier now confirms Wheeler's body found early Saturday morning in a rural area of Wayne County.
The Sheriff says evidence of a second vehicle shed some light on the case Friday. Pieces of a wrecked vehicle found near the scene were linked to a Carmi man. He was brought in for questioning and the Sheriff says he confessed to killing the couple.
Now 36-year-old Danny Coston of Carmi is charged with two counts of first degree murder.
Sheriff Maier calls the crime a "random type situation" that turned into a horrible event.
The sheriff says Coston knew Wheeler's father, but did not know Jacob Wheeler or Jessica Evans.
Authorities say they believe they know the motive in this case, but aren't releasing any details on that yet.
The sheriff says the state's attorney will file formal charges against Coston after the holiday weekend. In the meantime, Coston is being held on $3 million bond on two counts of first degree murder.
Wheeler's autopsy is scheduled to take place Saturday.
SOURCE: http://m.kfvs12.com/
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8/31/2012: White County, Illinois: White County Sheriff Doug Maier has confirmed that an arrest has been made in connection with the shooting death of 17-year-old Jessi Evans (left) of Norris City.
Police are now searching for the body of her boyfriend, 22-year-old Jacob Wheeler (right) of Norris City who has been missing since Sunday. Jessica's body was found Monday in the back of Wheeler's pickup truck.
Sheriff Maier has not identified the suspect at this time. The case is now being investigated as a double homicide.
While officials are actively searching for Wheeler Friday, Norris City residents tell 14 News the news of Jessica Evans' death has been hard on everyone who knew her.
"It hit hard, being 17, so young and beautiful," said Crossroads Bible Church Worship Leader Kimberly Hughes.
Hughes says, when she met Jessica Evans at church a few years ago, "She was just really a sweet girl right off the bat, super bubbly and super friendly, so we got to know her quickly."
Hughes says, in the past, Jessica had been involved in the youth group at Crossroads, and played acoustic guitar at church services.
She tells us the news of Jessica's death was difficult for everyone.
"Spent most of band practice just kind of putting music aside and just praying for family and friends that were super close with her."
Friday afternoon, the White County Sheriff's Office was back out in the area where Wheeler's truck was found, trying to find any information on where Wheeler might be.
Deputies say, around 3:30 Friday morning, a helicopter from the Illinois Department of Transportation searched the area too, using special heat sensing technology, but didn't find Wheeler.
While officials search for clues, those who knew Evans are hoping closure comes soon.
"Just praying for those involved and the police, and that justice would come and that the family would feel love and that they would just feel support," said Hughes.
The visitation for Evans is Friday night, and her funeral Saturday at Crossroads Bible Church.
SOURCE: http://www.14news.com/
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PREVIOUSLY:
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8/27/2012: Illinois Man WANTED in Connection with MURDER of Teen Girlfriend: White County, Illinois: After the body of missing Jessica M. Evans (17/left) was found today, 8/27/2012, in the back of her boyfriend’s pickup truck, police want to talk to her boyfriend. Police are calling Jessica's death a murder and are looking for Jacob C. Wheeler (22/right). They have named him a person of interest in her death.
Jessica and her boyfriend were reported missing Sunday evening, 8/26/2012, after Evans failed to show up for work at 5 a.m. Sunday.
White County Sheriff Doug Maier said a volunteer searcher on a 4-wheeler found Wheeler’s grey pickup truck down a steep embankment in thick woods near the Little Wabash River in northern White County shortly before 3 p.m. Monday.
Authorities have confirmed the body found in the back of the back of the truck was Jessica M. Evans.
Police are searching for Wheeler for questioning. “We are handling this as a homicide,” Maier said. “While we don’t know at this time if he is a witness, victim or suspect in her death, he is certainly being considered a person of interest.”
Wheeler is described as a white male – 5’ 8” tall with brown hair and blue eyes. Police say they have no idea if he is in a vehicle, since his pickup truck has been found.
Illinois State Police detectives and White County Sheriff’s detectives are combing two potential crime scenes – the campsite where the two are believed to have spent Saturday night – and the location where the body was found. Witnesses said the two sites were about a mile apart.
Shortly after 7 p.m. Monday, a K-9 unit from the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department in Fairfield, Ill., arrived to help search the are where the body was found.
Wheeler is a veteran of the Army, having recently completed a three-year tour of duty in Iraq.
Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call the White County Sheriff’s Department at 618-382-5321.
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