MACOMB – Several pre-trial conferences were held at the end of May and early June for five individuals who remain lodged in the McDonough County Jail.
Keianna Miller, 38, of Macomb, appeared McDonough County Circuit Court Monday, June 9 for a second detention hearing for aggravated domestic battery and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon stemming from a June 6 skirmish in Macomb in which she allegedly stabbed a man in a domestic incident. Miller first appeared in court Friday afternoon for a detention hearing related to the incident that reportedly occurred around 5:45 a.m. June 6 at a residence in the 200 block of East Wheeler Street. During the June 9 detention hearing, probable cause was found and it was determined that Miller should remain lodged in the McDonough County Jail. In addition, a proffer was heard and found. 'Proffer' in a legal context refers to offering something such as evidence to the court, or offering to cooperate with law enforcement in exchange for benefits. A proffer agreement allows someone to share information without fear their statements will be used against them in court. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for 2 p.m., June 23.
Walker Madison, 30, of Bardolph, who was arrested following an early morning traffic stop Feb. 26 in rural McDonough County, appeared for additional court dates last month in McDonough County Circuit Court. Walker pleaded not guilty and requested a jury trial. In March, a treatment furlough was submitted by Madison's attorney. The May 20 pre-trial conference was continued to July. In addition, a hearing for additional charges surrounding numerous counts of theft in McDonough County will continue this month.
Shaiking Mathis' ongoing case continued in McDonough County Circuit Court May 20 for a pre-trial conference, where the 38-year-old Macomb man took a delay on the speedy trial act. Mathis is accused of shooting two Macomb police officers who were serving a warrant at his Macomb residence Sept. 4.
Oliver Hoffman, 18, of Canton, refused to participate in a May 20 pre-trial conference, and the case was continued to July. Hoffman has plead not guilty, waived his rights to a preliminary hearing and requested a jury trial. He is currently being held on one count of manufacturing/selling/importing assault weapons (Class 3 felony); four counts of animal torture (Class 3), amended from original charge of animal cruelty; one count of possession of expired/ineligible Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card (Class 3); one count of criminal damage/ domestic animals $10,000-$100,000 (Class 3); one count of unlawful use of a weapon/ vehicle (Class 4); and two counts of aggravated assault/use a deadly weapon (Class A misdemeanor) after the teen allegedly shot four bulls in rural McDonough County Oct. 28 and later purportedly brandished a pistol during a road rage incident in Macomb Oct.
29. He remains lodged in the McDonough County Jail.
Nicholas Lafary, 18, of Bushnell, appeared May 7 in McDonough County Circuit Court, on murder charges, with another pretrial conference set for July. Lafary's co-defendant's (Davin Purden) was sentenced Jan. 28 to 30 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, to be served at 100 percent. Patricia Purden, Davin's mother, has been charged with obstruction of justice/ destroying evidence. She is free on $50,000 bond. Her status hearing was held May 5, with the case continued to July 9.
Miller
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. Records indicate that Miller had also been removed by police from the residence, at Clay's request, May 25 and June 1. During her initial detention hearing, Public Defender Scott Terry requested the continuance for June 9 after learning Miller also has two pending cases in Marion County, IN. Records from mycase.In.gov show that the pending charges include an alleged November 2024 incident for 'battery resulting in moderate bodily injury' and 'disorderly conduct: engaging in fighting or tumultuous conduct' and a reported March 2025 for 'identity deception' and 'operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.'
Walker
Following a traffic stop Feb. 26 at 3:01 a.m. on Highway 95 in New Philadelphia, a McDonough County Sheriff's Office deputy observed indicators of criminal activity, and K9 Vamos was called to the scene. Following a positive alert for illegal narcotics, a probable cause search was conducted and 25.23 grams of methamphetamine was confiscated. This led deputies to obtain a search warrant for Walker's Bardolph residence at 207 E. Poplar St. where drug paraphernalia, packaging materials and seven firearms were seized. Madison has been charged with seven counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon (Class 3 felonies); possession of methamphetamine with Intent to Deliver 15-100 grams (Class X felony); possession of methamphetamine 15-100 grams (Class 1 felony), and three counts of delivery of methamphetamine under m grams (Class 2 felonies).
Days before the McDonough County arrest, Walker, along with Jason Beans, 42, and Cindy Lambert, 44, both of Macomb, were arrested at 6:22 a.m., Feb. 19 by the Knox County Sheriff's Office when deputies were dispatched to the former Abingdon Pottery building for a report of a burglary. Walker, Beans and Lambert were each charged with burglary and possession of burglary tools.
Mathis
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 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 after he allegedly shot and injured Det. Nick Severs 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.
Hoffman
According to Macomb Police Department and McDonough County Sheriff's Office reports, it was the road rage incident on East Jackson Street that led to Hoffman's arrest for allegedly shooting four bulls belonging to Eric McKee, and then resulted in the charges of manufacturing weapons and other charges after police searched Hoffman's Macomb apartment and found evidence that he was making assault weapons and attachments using 3D technology. Shell casings, live ammunition, a homemade (3D printed) lower rifle and shotgun attachments, a shotgun and two handguns, which were believed to be linked to the livestock shooting, were found in Hoffman's pick-up truck after police stopped him Oct. 29 following the traffic incident.
Hoffman admitted to shooting the bulls, valued at $20,000, sometime during Oct. 28, according to the McDonough County Sheriff's Department. Around 2:30 p.m. Oct. 29, the sheriff's office received a call regarding four bulls that had been shot while they were in a pasture on North 1450th Rd., just east of Bardolph.
Two of the animals were dead, while the other two bulls were mortally injured and had to be euthanized.
Lafary
Purden and Lafary went to the Bushnell home of Travis Purden, Davin's father, on June 2, 2023 and killed the 43-year-old.
During the afternoon hours of June 2, the elder Purden was found deceased in his home as a result of being shot several times in the face. (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.
