A 15-year-old East St. Louis boy is being held in the St. Clair County Juvenile Detention Center in connection with two murders. 

The teen was taken into custody on Wednesday, June 5. He is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, a Class M felony. 

Class M felonies are punishable by a life sentence or 20-60 years in prison. 

Also charged in connection with the murders is Cierra Whitley, 35, also of East St. Louis. She also faces two counts of first-degree murder. 

On Aug. 12, East St. Louis police requested Illinois State Police agents’ assitance with a homicide investigation on the 1700 block of Ridge Avenue. The victim, 64-year-old Anthony Jackson of O’Fallon had been found in a vacant lot with multiple gunshot wounds.  

While agents were investigating Jackson’s homicide, they were notified of another deceased male.  The body of 74-year-old Willie Wallace of Swansea was located with multiple gunshot wounds on the 700 block of North 55th Street in East St. Louis. With assistance from the East St. Louis Police Department, the State Police investigation revealed the two homicides were connected. 

On March 15, 2024, the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office charged Whitley and filed a juvenile petition charging the 15-year-old boy. Whitley was already in custody on unrelated charges.