PONTOON BEACH, Ill. — The day after Pontoon Beach police officer Tyler Timmins was shot and killed in the line of duty, four women associated with his previous department cut countless blue ribbons.
They posted the ribbons around the village of Hartford, Illinois hoping to show Timmins' family what he meant to so many.
"He was just a wonderful guy," said Marsha Moore, who helped fashion the ribbons for light poles around town. Her husband served with officer Timmins at the Hartford department.
"People just don't understand that when they walk out that door, you just never know. You just never know what they're going to encounter," she said with her voice cracking.
Hundreds of officers paid their respects by escorting the body of the 14-year veteran of multiple Madison County departments to a funeral home as some of the local residents he served stood silent to say thank you.
Also Wednesday, the Madison County state's attorney announced murder charges against 31-year-old Scott Hyden of Highland, Illinois. Court records show previous charges for guns and drugs and time in federal prison.
When police said officer Timmins walked up to Hyden in a suspected stolen car at a gas station on Route 111 on Tuesday, Hyden had a warrant for his arrest for not showing up to court on drug and forgery charges.
The Madison County States Attorney Tom Haine said he intends to prove in court that when officer Timmons approached the vehicle, Hyden "shot officer Timmins without provocation. And that officer Timmons had no time to even draw weapon."
"Right before he left the station Tuesday morning, he left telling a story about his daughter, Chloe," said Pontoon Beach Police Chief Chris Modrusic.
Modrusic said Timmins' wife Lindsay, daughter Chloe and his family "were everything to Tyler and everyone who knew him knew that."
"A close second to him was this job," said Modrusic. "I truly believe if Tyler could tell us anything, he would tell us all he didn't die for nothing. He died doing exactly what he loved – protecting and serving this community."
The maximum penalty in Illinois for murder is life in prison and that's what Haine said he will seek in this case.
Hyden is in the county jail along with two other people arrested at the gas station when the shooting happened. The prosecutor said this investigation is ongoing but right now he does not think they will face charges for Timmins’ death.