On July 15, McDonough County Circuit Court Judge Nigel Graham sentenced a Bushnell teen to 15 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections following a plea agreement to amended charges.
Nicholas Lafary, 19, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit first degree murder, a Class I felony, and was sentenced to the maximum prison term, with credit for 771 days served. On Jan. 28, Davin Purden, 19, who murdered his father, Travis, was sentenced to 30 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, to be served at 100 percent. According to State's Attorney Matt Kwacala, in the amended information Lafary, who was 17 at the time of the murder, agreed that his part in the conspiracy charge was providing the gun to (Davin) Purden, which was then used to shoot Davin's father.
On June 2, 2023, Purden and Lafary went to the Bushnell residence of Travis Purden and killed the 43-year-old. Later that day, the elder Purden was found deceased as a result of being shot several times in the face. There were no signs of forced entry, and surveillance cameras in the Bushnell trailer park showed (Davin) Purden and Lafary entering and leaving residence. (Davin) Purden later admitted in court that he and Lafary were at his father's trailer, and that he went to the home with the intention of killing his father.
Originally pleading not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder, during a Nov. 4, 2024 court appearance Purden pleaded guilty to amended charges of one count of first-degree murder. Lafary also originally pleaded not guilty on murder charges, and the teens were initially set to be tried together. Patricia Purden, Davin's mother, has been charged with obstruction of justice/destroying evidence. She is free on $50,000 bond. Her latest hearing was held July 9, with her case continued to Sept. 3.
