Three individuals, who remain in custody at the McDonough County Jail as they wait for their respective trial dates, recently participated in pre-trial hearings in McDonough County Court.
Morgan Bearce, who appeared before Circuit Court Judge Nigel Graham Jan. 8, had his case continued to March. The 24-yearold Macomb man has been charged with first-degree murder charges in the July 29 shooting death of 21-year-old Bryson Saddoris at 625 N. Randolph St. Bearce has pleaded not guilty and requested a jury trial. At the Jan. 8 hearing, Bearce told the court he was not ready for trial.
Bearce Case Background
Police reported Bearce admitted shooting Saddoris six times with a revolver, claiming he fired the additional shots to “put the victim out of his misery' after the initial gunshot. A second man, Sean Hayes, was initially arrested but was released a few weeks later after charges were dropped by McDonough County State's Attorney Matt Kwacala, who said there was new evidence that supported Hayes' release.
Authorities stated all three (Bearce, Saddoris and Hayes) were smoking methamphetamine at Bearce's Randolph Street home at the time of the incident. Hayes initially denied involvement in the shooting but reportedly had admitted to photographing Saddoris' body and cleaning the crime scene.
Bearce claims that he was in another room of the home when he heard a gunshot in his kitchen. He told police he found Hayes in the kitchen standing over Saddoris, holding a shotgun. He then allegedly handed Bearce a revolver and instructed him to put the victim out of his misery. Bearce admitted to emptying the revolver on the victim. The crime was discovered a few days later when police descended on the home as Bearce loaded a car with drugs and guns.
He initially told police that it was 'Sean's mess' in the laundry room. The crime was brought to the attention of law enforcement after Hayes allegedly posted a photo on social media of Saddoris following the shooting Keianna Miller, 38, of Macomb, appeared at McDonough County Circuit Court Jan. 13 for a pre-trial hearing for aggravated domestic battery and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. Her case stems from a June 6 spat in which she allegedly stabbed a man in a domestic incident.
Miller has pleaded not guilty and requested a jury trial.
Her case has been continued to Feb. 10.
Miller Case Background On June 6, Maurice Clay, 56, reported to police the told Miller to leave his residence about 3 a.m., however, when he woke up at 5 a.m., he allegedly found she had returned to the home and was removing items from the refrigerator. After being told again to leave the residence, she purportedly stabbed Clay in the chest, back and left arm. He was taken to McDonough District Hospital where he was treated and released.
Shaiking Mathis, who has been in custody since Sept. 5, 2024, appeared before Judge Graham Jan.
14. His case was continued to another pre-trial conference for Feb. 10. Mathis is accused of shooting two Macomb police officers who were serving a search warrant at his Macomb home Sept. 4. He has been charged with four counts of aggravated battery to a police officer, one count of aggravated discharge of a firearm and possession of a firearm by a felon. Mathis has pleaded not guilty and requested a jury trial.
Mathis Case Background
Following extensive negotiations and a 20-hour standoff with law enforcement, Mathis, 39, of 309 N.
Normal St., surrendered peacefully and was taken into custody around 2:30 p.m. Sept. 5. He allegedly shot and injured former Macomb Police Det. Nick Severs, who is now with the Illinois State Police and Sgt.
J.P. McLaughlin, who, along with other Macomb Police Department (MPD) officers, were serving a search warrant for a sexual assault, which purportedly took place at the home earlier that day.
At the initial detention hearing Sept. 6, the state's attorney shared after Mathis' arrest, a search of the home was conducted and police found two firearms and several rounds of live ammunition. Mathis, who has been convicted of felonies in Kenosha, WI (2004) and Cook County (2010), is not allowed by law to possess firearms.
