Michael Smothers
Journal Star
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Past articles by Michael:
Sunnyland man pleads guilty to 2019 murder of ex-Washington basketball player
Daniel Albritton entered his plea in the death of John Tyler of Deer Creek days ahead of the murder trial's scheduled start. → Read More
Peoria man gets four-year sentence in fatal Pekin drug case
John McNulty was initially accused of selling heroin laced with fentanyl to Jackie Creech, who was found dead later that day. → Read More
Lesli Jett found guilty of murder in death of 4-year-old boy
Lesli Jett faces 100 years in prison in the death of 4-year-old Tate Thurman → Read More
Lesli Jett takes the stand in her murder trial. Here's what she said and what she disputed
Tate Thurman's toilet-training problems, a source of frustration for Jett, were among the issues prosecutors asked her about. → Read More
What we've learned so far in Lesli Jett's trial for death of 4-year-old Tate Thurman
Lesli Jett could face up to 100 years in prison if convicted in the death of her boyfriend's son. → Read More
Prosecutors say Lesli Jett killed boyfriend's young son. What to know as her trial begins
Lesli Jett faces up to a 100-year sentence if convicted of the death of Tate Thurman last year. What to expect as her trial begins in the Peoria area. → Read More
Indianapolis man takes plea in Creve Coeur synthetic marijuana case
Jackie Bishop was arrested last year in a case involving firearms and having 2 1/2 pounds of synthetic marijuana in his vehicle → Read More
Tazewell County dismissed from lawsuits against dad of accused Waffle House shooter
Jeffrey Reinking still faces civil cases and a criminal case related to his return to his son of weapons police say were used in 2018 shooting → Read More
Leak at Washington nursing home may have polluted waterways. Illinois is demanding repairs
The state of Illinois is seeking to have owners of the facility pay for remediation costs on waterways that flow into Illinois River. → Read More
Former Morton high school teacher charged with sexual abuse of student
Erin Kemp faces up to seven years in prison in the two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse → Read More
Peoria man charged in 2017 drug-induced homicide in Pekin
Police used cellphone tracking software to bring a drug-induced homicide charge involving the death of a Pekin man three years ago. John McNulty, 54, with a last-known address in Peoria, pleaded not guilty Monday to allegedly selling the fentanyl-laced heroin that killed Jackie Creech. He faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted. Creech, 57, was found dead at a Pekin storage facility on Nov.… → Read More
Pekin infant’s father allegedly breaks her leg, ribs
A Pekin man told police he has "aggressive tendencies" that may have led him to break his infant daughter’s leg and other bones while → Read More
Facing federal child pornography charges, Pekin couple also charged in state court
A Tazewell County grand jury indicted a Pekin couple Thursday on charges the man had sexual contact with a young child while the woman made a video of the → Read More
Pekin woman indicted on infant manslaughter charge
A Tazewell County grand jury indicted a Pekin woman recently for allegedly suffocating her 11-month-old daughter last month.Angel Vanduker, 19, was taken → Read More
Absent robber of Pekin store sentenced to 23 years
PEKIN -- Davon Ruffin of Bloomington would have begun an 18-year prison term Friday if he had shown up to be sentenced for robbing a Pekin cellphone store. → Read More
Delavan man gets probation for child sex abuse
A Delavan man was sentenced last week to probation in a child sex case that initially threatened him with life in prison.Steven Gulliams, 38, pleaded guilty in May to two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a girl under age 13, punishable by up to seven years in prison. A Class X charge of predatory criminal sexual assault was dismissed in a plea agreement in which a prosecutor… → Read More
Creve Coeur police say couple caught with drugs, guns
Creve Coeur police officers caught an Indianapolis couple with more than 2½ pounds of synthetic marijuana and two handguns in their car, court → Read More
Minier man imprisoned for sexual abuse
A Minier man has begun a seven-year prison term for sexually preying upon a family member through most of her teen-aged years.Brillingston Ulloa, 54, → Read More
Peorian skips sentencing for East Peoria home invasion, gets 40-year term
When police find Martez Harris of Peoria, he’ll go straight to prison with a 40-year sentence for his "heinous" 2018 home invasion in East → Read More
East Peoria man pleads not guilty in pot case
An East Peoria man pleaded not guilty Thursday after police said they found more than 11 pounds of marijuana and counterfeit currency in his home.A → Read More