Carbondale man charged with murder in 2021 shooting death of SIU student
CARBONDALE, Ill. (KBSI) – A Carbondale man faces murder and other charges in connection with the 2021 shooting death of a Southern Illinois University student.
The Jackson County State’s Attorney’s Office and Carbondale Police Department held a joint press conference Wednesday morning on the death investigation of Southern Illinois University student Keeshanna Jackson.
Keavonte T. Nesby, 22, of Carbondale is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm and one count of aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon.
Authorities say the charges are related to the shooting death of Southern Illinois University freshman Keeshanna Jackson on August 22, 2021. Jackson was freshman at Southern Illinois University freshman who moved from Chicago to Carbondale.
The Carbondale Police Department received multiple 911 calls on August 22, 2021 regarding a shooting in the 500 block of West Cherry Street in Carbondale.
When officers arrived they saw remnants of a house party at 501 West Cherry Street and found 18-year-old Jackson in the yard with a life-threatening gunshot wound.
She was taken to Memorial Hospital in Carbondale where she died.
Three other people were treated and released from the emergency room for non life-threatening gunshot wounds.
Detectives from the Carbondale Police Department’s Investigation’s Bureau, the Department of Public Safety for Southern Illinois University Carbondale, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and Illinois State Police began an investigation that involved the identification of more than 100 people who were believed to have attended the party.
The investigation let to Nesby being identified as the suspect shooter responsible for Jackson’s death.
Jackson County State’s Attorney Joseph A. Cervantez says the shooting occured between two rival groups that had been feuding at the time.
Multiple people involved with the groups have been arrested since the shooting.
Nesby is being detained. He is set to appear in court on Wednesday, September 14 at the Jackson County Courthouse in Murphysboro.
The Carbondale Police Department led the investigation with support and collaboration of the Illinois State Police, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, the Jackson County Coroner, the Southern Illinois University Department of Public Safety and the FBI. State’s Attorney Cervantez will lead the prosecution team.
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