Morgan Bearce, who has been accused of killing 21-year-old Bryson Saddoris, 21, in July, appeared before Circuit Court Judge Nigel Graham March 31 for another pre-trial hearing.
Fred Railsback, who is charged with felony child photography by a sex offender, was also back in court March 31.
Shaking Mathis appeared in mid-March on sexual assault charges.
Bearce
In late January, Bearce's attorney filed a subpoena duces tecum issued to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). A subpoena duces tecum is a court order compelling a person or entity to produce specific documents, records or physical evidence for a trial, hearing or deposition. The 24-year-old Macomb man has been charged with first-degree murder for the July 29 shooting death of Saddoris at 625 N. Randolph St. Bearce has pleaded not guilty and requested a jury trial.
At the March 31 pre-trial hearing, Bearce's attorney, Mark Wykoff of Springfield, stated that Bearce, who appeared via Zoom, was not ready for trial, but he is working toward a Nov. 16 jury trial. A status hearing was set for June17. Judge Nigel Graham ordered the continued detention of Bearce for the protection of the community.
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, on Aug. 19, after charges were dropped by McDonough County State's Attorney Matt Kwacala, who said there was new evidence that supported Hayes' release. However, his initial arrest – and release – following Saddoris' murder, Hayes was arrested a few months later for two counts of disorderly conduct Oct. 3 for allegedly threatening a McDonald's employee, as well as threatening an individual near T.J. Maxx. He last appeared in McDonough County Circuit Court on those charges March 18, with the case continued to an April 15 pre-trial.
Authorities stated all three men (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.
Railsback
During the March 31 hearing, James Hoyle, the attorney for convicted sex offender Fred Railsback III, 79, of Macomb, filed a motion to suppress. That motion will be heard April 10, and another pre-trial hearing has been set for May 10. At a hearing last month, Railsback was found fit to stand trial for allegedly taking photos of a child in a Macomb restaurant. He has been held in the McDonough County Jail since his July 14 arrest.
Railsback was charged with felony child photography by a sex offender after he reportedly took photos of an 11-year-old girl at a local diner. A family member noticed Railsback snapping photos and told restaurant employees, who called police. He purportedly attempted to delete the photos; however, responding officers were able to see the photos after obtaining the phone from Railsback's possession. He told police he took the photos because he 'thought she was cute.'
At the time of the July 2025 incident, Railsback was on probation after pleading guilty in September 2024 to three felony child porn-related charges. Several other counts were dismissed as part of that plea. As part of the plea deal, Railsback was sentenced to 128 days in jail – credit for time served – with four years of probation and ordered to pay more than $14,000 in fines and fees. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender for life.
Mathis
In McDonough County Circuit Court March 18, Shaiking Mathis, 40, of Macomb, pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual assault and requested a jury trial.
Mathis was arrested on the new charges last month stemming from a Sept. 4, 2024 incident in which he allegedly shot two police officers who were attempting to serve a warrant. He is accused sexual assault by force for an incident that took place at his Normal Street residence in 2024. Later that day, he allegedly shot former Macomb Police Department Det. Nick Severs (who is now with the Illinois State Police) and MPD Sgt. J.P. McLaughlin as they were attempting to serve a search warrant in connection with thee reported sexual assault.
In connection with the shooting incident, he is 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. Following extensive negotiations and a 20-hour standoff with law enforcement, Mathis, of 309 N. Normal St., surrendered peacefully and was taken into custody around 2:30 p.m. Sept. 5.
He has remained detained in the local jail since that time. Mathis is being represented by Michael Jarard of Chicago on the shooting charges, and by Public Defender Scott Terry for the sex assault charges.
