Pick a charge, any charge: the 17-count indictment against alleged killer
Nicholas Sheley
by Mike Kroll
The family
and friends of Ronald Randall are distressed not only by his brutal murder but
by the seeming randomness of it. There is no reason to believe that Randall and
his assailant had ever met before the evening of June 28th when Randall was
assaulted as he vacuumed his pickup truck. His death apparently the result of
being conveniently available and driving a nice truck. On Monday, one month to
the day following Randall's murder, a 17-count Knox County Grand Jury
indictment. All 17 counts charged against Nicholas Sheley are felonies and 15
of them are class-X felonies. They include charges and circumstances that if
proven would make Sheley eligible for the death penalty in Illinois but Knox
County State's Attorney John Pepmeyer has not yet announced his decision on
whether or not to pursue this as a capital case.
Specifically
Sheley has been charged with ten counts of first-degree murder (specifying various
sets of circumstances), two counts of aggravated kidnapping, two counts of
aggravated vehicular hijacking, one count of armed robbery, another count of
robbery and finally a count of possession of a stolen vehicle. The apparent
rationale is for Pepmeyer to preserve all of his prosecutorial options while
simultaneously painting Sheley as a cold, calculating killer who allegedly
bludgeoned Randall to death just to steal his truck.
A long list
of charges provides Pepmeyer with ample room to accept a plea agreement from
Sheley but to date the alleged spree killer has shown no inclination to desire
such a deal. Reportedly Sheley has steadfastly refused to be interviewed by
police or prosecutors and he has pled not guilty before the Circuit Court. The
supposition is that given his decades of experience in Whiteside County Sheley
is confident of successfully circumnavigating prosecution. This is despite a
wealth of forensic evidence against him not only here in Knox County but also
in the two other counties where he allegedly bludgeoned seven others to death
in an equally brutal manner.
Although
Randall was only murdered once the array of charges represent a variety of ways
that the crime may have been committed and encompasses differing sets of
circumstances. At this time police are unaware of any eye witnesses to
Randall's murder itself but they do have ample evidence showing Sheley driving
Randall's stolen pickup truck immediately following the altercation at
Southard's Car Wash on East Main Street. Witnesses did see Sheley driving the
truck and wearing bloody clothing. Blood, tissue and hair from three of the
alleged victims has been identified in the truck along with Sheley's
fingerprints. The stolen truck Sheley drove into Galesburg was found abandoned at
the car wash hours after the murder and forensic evidence can apparently tie
Sheley to that vehicle as well.
Among the
factors that make this a death-eligible case are Randall's age, the
Òexceptionally brutal or heinous behavior indicative of wanton cruelty,Ó and
that Randall died in the course of another violent forcible felony (hijacking
and kidnapping). It is highly likely that a number of these counts will be
dropped prior to trial as they are predicated on somewhat differing theories of
the crime but the broad scope of charges leveled at this time permits Pepmeyer
many options and plenty of room to accept a plea that would still keep Sheley
behind bars for most of his life if convicted.
Sheley's
next court date will be his arraignment on August 6th. Pepmeyer will then have
up to two months to determine whether or not to seek the death penalty.
Meanwhile Sheley will remain in the Knox County Jail except in the unlikely
event that he can present ten percent of the now $10 million bond set by Judge
Steven Bordner.
07/31/08