A 17 year old from Peoria has been charged with First Degree Murder in the shooting death of 21 year old Mason R. Loy. According to information provided by Peoria County State’s Attorney Jodi Hoos, 17 year old Jared R. Williams was charged on August 30th with First Degree Murder in the shooting that occurred Saturday, August 26th at Laramie Liquors. Surveillance video from the store showed a large, heavyset white male with long hair get out of a vehicle unprovoked, approach Loy, and immediately fire multiple shots at him. This male would later be identified as Williams, who was also seen on video fleeing the scene. Two days following the shooting, on August 28th, Peoria Police received information on Williams’ whereabouts. Williams was located at an apartment in Normal, Illinois and was taken into custody. Inside the apartment where Williams was found and arrested was a handgun which, according to preliminary testing, fired the shell casings found at the scene of the murder. Although Williams is considered a juvenile due to his age and being held at the Peoria County Juvenile Detention Center, he will be tried as an adult. The judge set bond at 1.5 million dollars.
