Two people have been charged with the Facebook Marketplace armed robbery in Peoria that resulted in the death of one of the robbers. Sontarrius Williams, 27, and Jalyn Branscumb, 18, were charged with Armed Robbery (Class X Felony) from the Facebook marketplace robbery that went wrong when one of the robbers was fatally shot during an exchange of gunfire between the robbers and purchasers. The State’s petition to detain Williams was granted, and he will remain in the custody of the Peoria County Jail. An arraignment hearing is scheduled for February 15th for Williams. A pretrial detention hearing for Branscumb is scheduled for Monday, January 29, 2024.
On January 15, 2024, two individuals traveled to Peoria to purchase a vehicle from a Facebook Marketplace listing. They were directed to an alley to find several individuals, including Williams and Branscumb, attempting to rob them at gunpoint. One of the purchasers was armed with a legally owned firearm. He pulled out the firearm and exchanged gunfire with the attempted robbers, killing one of the would-be robbers. According to the Peoria Police Department, no charges will be filed against the purchaser because he acted in self-defense and had a lawfully owned firearm.
The investigation is ongoing. If anyone has information regarding this incident, please contact the Peoria Police Department at 309-673-4521.
On January 15, 2024, around 5:04 PM, Peoria Police responded to the 2100 block of West Lincoln Avenue for a ShotSpotter alert for five gunshots. Officers arrived to find a male victim with an apparent gunshot wound. Officers immediately started life-saving measures until the ambulance and Peoria Fire Department arrived and took over life-saving measures. The male victim was pronounced deceased on the scene.
“The Peoria Police Department would like to remind the public to remain vigilant during Marketplace type transactions. Use good judgment when it comes to selecting meetup locations that are highly visible and preferably under video surveillance. The parking lot and lobby of the police department are also available to conduct such transactions.”
