A look at Peoria’s homicides so far in 2023

PEORIA (25News Now) - Peoria’s homicide data so far is split in half.

Four of Peoria’s eight homicides so far this year are the result of people being shot, while nearly all of Peoria’s homicides last year were related to gun violence. In 2022, 20 out of 24 homicides were from guns, according to Peoria Police Department data.

This time last year, there were 9 homicides in the city.

The gunshot wound deaths so far:

• On February 1, 29-year-old Sara Gater was shot near Laramie and Wiswall streets. PPD has not released a suspect name so far.
• On February 12, 18-year-old Davion Parker was shot near Lexington Hills apartments. He was pronounced brain dead on Feb. 16. Police are looking for two suspects, Donte Agnew Jr., and Torreon Carey.
• On May 22, 29-year-old Roy Payne was shot on Westmoreland Avenue. PPD has not released a suspect name.
• On May 29, 30-year-old Rick Ransom was shot near Gale Avenue and Underhill Street. PPD has not released a suspect name.

There have been other violent deaths this year. Two homicides were the result of stabbing and two other people were killed by blunt force trauma.

Both stabbings are the result of a woman allegedly attacking their partner.

Other homicides in 2023:

• On March 18, Lamario Billups died from apparent stab wounds. His girlfriend, Heather Cruzan is accused of killing him. She is claiming self-defense.
• On March 21, Tamara Schaidle was found on the bank of the Illinois River near the Riverplex. The coroner believes she died from blunt force trauma. Police still have not released any suspect information.
• On May 10, a 14-year-old hit 50-year-old Tony Collier with a cinder block on the head. Collier died a few days later. The 14-year-old has been charged but is not in jail.
• On May 13, Lauraine Singleton is accused of stabbing and killing her boyfriend, 50-year-old James Davis.

The other split in the crime data is the solve rate. Police have either named or arrested a suspect for four out of eight of those crimes.

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