(This story was updated to accurately reflect the most current information.)
PEORIA — The shooting death of a 15-year-old boy was a “premeditated murder,” according to Peoria County prosecutors.
Curtis Jones, 18, of Peoria was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and concealment of a homicide in the death of Keyaun Schmitt-Hardimon. Jones will be held in custody until trial after a Peoria County judge on Friday approved a petition to deny him pre-trial release.
During a detention hearing, Circuit Judge Nathan Bach said that there would be no conditions that would mitigate the threat to people’s safety if Jones was released, noting that he allegedly told witnesses that a murder would happen and not to report it to anyone. Jones also participated in the cleanup of the shooting that included placing Schmitt-Hardimon inside a floor rug, according to authorities.
Assistant State’s Attorney Terry Muench said during Friday’s hearing that Peoria police officers responded to the 2400 block of North Sheridan Road at 7:50 a.m. Wednesday morning in response to a report of shots fired. When officers arrived, they met Jones, who refused to allow them inside the home. Someone else living there let officers inside to check for victims.
While searching, they found Jafari Robinson, 27, of Peoria, hiding in a bathroom with a used shell casing in his pocket, prosecutors said. Officers left the home in order to get a search warrant, but returned shortly thereafter to search the house.
When they entered the home’s basement – which also served as Jones’ bedroom – officers found a large amount of blood, shell casings and furniture with bullet holes. They discovered a rolled-up carpet containing the body of Schmitt-Hardimon, who had sustained a pair of gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene by the Peoria County Coroner’s Office.
Witness reports indicate Jones was in the basement with Schmitt-Hardimon and others when the shots were fired. Jones allegedly asked others not to tell anyone what was going on. Witnesses said it looked like Jones knew what was going to happen, authorities said.
Witnesses also noted two people left the scene shortly after 7 a.m. and returned with Robinson.
Robinson told officers that he didn’t know about the shooting, but did help Jones clean up some of the blood in the basement. He was charged with concealment of a homicide, which, according to the Peoria County State’s Attorney’s Office, is not an offense in which someone can be detained under the SAFE-T Act. He is, however, in custody on a separate manner.
Muench said that there was nothing that could mitigate the risk to people’s safety if Jones was let out, citing the nature and circumstance of the crime, which he described as a “premeditated murder.”
Assistant Public Defender Tim McCarthy said in Jones’ defense that while the allegations were “reprehensible,” he didn’t have a criminal history and was attempting to get a GED prior to the shooting. He also said Jones had a stable home life living with his mother and older sister.
Jones’ arraignment is set for Oct. 30, with Robinson’s hearing also set for the same date.
A GoFundMe campaign has been established to aid Keyaun’s mother. As of Friday evening, it had raised a little over $2,600.
The investigation into Schmitt-Hardimon’s death remains ongoing by the Peoria Police Department. Anyone with further information on the case is asked to contact police at (309) 673-4521.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Peoria boy’s shooting death called a ‘premeditated murder’ by prosecutors
Reporting by Zach Roth, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
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