GRANITE CITY, Ill. — Two teenagers have been charged as adults in the murder of an 18-year-old man in Granite City last week.
Deandre Richardson, 17, and Nicholas Rickman II, 16, are each charged with three counts of first-degree murder and armed robbery. Under Illinois law, anyone who is 16 and older who is suspected of first-degree murder is charged as an adult.
Illinois law also allows prosecutors to charge someone with multiple counts of first-degree murder for a single offense, as long as investigators have multiple theories for what they likely believe happened.
On June 5, officers with the Granite City Police Department responded to the 2500 block of Madison Avenue for a report of a shooting. They arrived to find Sean Williams unconscious with multiple gunshot wounds. He was later pronounced dead at a hospital. Williams was 18 years old.
The Major Case Squad helped with the investigation, which included 23 investigators from 17 different agencies.
Investigators developed three alternative theories for what happened to Williams, leading to the three counts of first-degree murder against Richardson and Rickman.
According to the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office, the first count is based on the theory that Richardson and Rickman intended to kill Williams when one of them shot him. The second count is based on the theory that when one of them shot Williams, they knew it was likely he could die or suffer serious injury. The third count is based on the theory that the murder happened during an armed robbery.
“While the loss of any life is heartbreaking, it is even more so in cases like this which involve such a young victim and young defendants. The circumstances surrounding this case can only be described as tragic. However, once again the men and women of the Major Case Squad have risen to the call of duty and have again proven that they are the finest example of law enforcement officers,” said First Assistant State’s Attorney Crystal Uhe. “This is the first step toward achieving justice for Mr. Williams’s family.”
Richardson and Rickman are each being held on $1 million bonds. If convicted, one count of first-degree murder carries a sentence of 20 years to 60 years. The sentencing range for armed robbery is six years to 30 years.
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