The Champaign Police Department have identified an individual believed to be responsible for the death of 53-year-old Gus Edwards (Champaign). On August 3, 2017, at approximately 8:10 p.m., Champaign Police Officers responded to the area of Elm St. and Beardsley Ave. after receiving a report of a shooting. Upon arrival, police found Edwards suffering from a gunshot wound. Edwards would later succumb to his injuries at Carle Hospital.
Champaign Police conducted a thorough investigation, and following a June 24, 2018, News-Gazette article by Carol Vorel featuring the case, police secured an additional lead. The article, “2017 Cold Case: The murder of Gus Edwards,” helped develop new information, which corroborated existing evidence that Hill was the suspect in the investigation.
Today, the Champaign County State’s Attorney’s Office filed four counts of First Degree Murder charges against 24-year-old Jamonte Hill (Champaign). Hill was already in custody at the Champaign County Correctional Center for unrelated weapons and narcotics offenses.
Hill was formally advised of the new charges against him today in court and bond was set at $5 million.
Although an arrest has been made, Police continue to investigate this incident and encourage anyone with information regarding the shooting to call the Champaign Police Investigations Division at 217-351-4545. Anonymous tips may also be submitted to Crime Stoppers by phone at: 217-373-8477 (TIPS); online at www.373tips.com; or the “P3 Tips” mobile app.
Citizens are reminded that information submitted to Crime Stoppers is completely anonymous. Calls are routed to a third-party national call center that receives your information, completes a tips information form, and then passes that information to the appropriate law enforcement agency. Caller ID tracking is not utilized by Crime Stoppers and conversations are not recorded.
With all cases, all persons are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law.