DECATUR — Prosecutors say when another teenage male walked in on 17-year-old Louis L. Binkley as he lay on a bed with a female friend in her Decatur bedroom, the other male got upset and an argument ensued.
But while the other teenager, also aged 17, confined his anger to yelling, Binkley is accused of pulling a semi-automatic pistol and shooting his rival in the chest.
And he is further accused of continuing to fire “several more times” as the other male fled for his life out of the 20-year-old woman’s Decatur apartment in the 400 block of North Pine Street on the evening of Oct. 7.
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The wounded man survived with a bullet hole in his lower right chest and police started looking for Binkley, who was known to the woman by his Facebook profile name “Mr. El-Blamo.”
The cops caught up with Binkley Nov. 22 and he is due to appear in Macon County Circuit Court on Feb. 7 for a pretrial hearing. He is denying committing aggravated battery through the discharge of a firearm. He has also entered not guilty pleas to further charges of the aggravated discharge of a gun, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and having no FOID card.
A sworn affidavit filed by Decatur police said officers had interviewed the wounded man — and a male friend who had been with him — on the day of the shooting and quickly traced the apartment location of the gunfire.
“Upon searching the apartment, a crime scene was located,” said Officer Tyler Nottingham who signed the affidavit.
“Two spent 9mm shell casings and two fired projectiles were found inside the apartment.”
The victim’s version of events was backed up by both the woman and the victim’s 15-year-old male friend who told police he also fled when the gunfire started.
According to the affidavit, the woman, who is quoted as telling cops she had earlier invited Binkley to visit her apartment, said: “…She observed Louis shoot (the victim) and continue to shoot at him several times.”
Tried as an adult but still too young to be held in the Macon County Jail, Binkley is in custody at a juvenile detention facility after Judge Rodney Forbes ruled that he was a “delinquent minor” and there was an “urgent necessity” to detain him in custody.
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2023 mugshots from the Herald & Review
Lourash
Jeffrey L. Lourash, 57, took a plea deal on April 6, 2023, and admitted the first degree murder of his wife Tabitha Lourash, who was shot to death November 23 in their Warrensburg home. Lourash was sentenced in May of 2023 to 45 years in prison, to be served at 100%.
Hirstein
Steven L. Hirstein, 43, was arrested March 30, 2023, and booked on preliminary charges of attempted murder for a stabbing attack on his girlfriend. He is also charged with aggravated battery to police after allegedly attacking officers with a knife. He was shot and wounded several times by police but his wounds were not considered serious.
Phillip Gehrken
Phillip J. Gehrken, 52, of Forsyth, was sentenced to 50 years in prison March 28, 2023, after being convicted of the murder of 51-year-old victim Kevin Cooper on July 11, 2021.
Joseph A. Williams
Joseph A. Williams, convicted of the attempted murder of a Decatur Police officer, was sentenced 80 years in prison in June of 2023.
Jetrevius O. Jarrett
Jetrevius O. Jarrett is charged with first degree murder for allegedly shooting to death the photographer that took his family’s Christmas pictures in 2021.
Edwards
Cameron C. Edwards, 19, of Cerro Gordo was sentenced to nine years in prison April 4, 2023, after pleading guilty to the unlawful possession of a stolen gun, attempted escape and burglary. He was part of a theft team that stole guns from cop cars.
King-Woods
Traveon Hightower King-Woods, 27, was sentenced to five years in prison March 22, 2023, after he admitted a charge of aggravated robbery. Police said he robbed a victim at gunpoint but then had to flee for his life when the victim chased him in a car. King-Woods accomplice and brother, Amieron L. Barham-Perkins, 20, pleaded guilty to an aggravated robbery charge and was sentenced to five years on January 17, 2023.
Wilson
Tyler J. Wilson, 23, was sentenced to 18 years in prison in Macon County Circuit Court April 26, 2023, after pleading guilty to a charge of armed violence.
Derrickson
Tiyren E. Derrickson, 28, was sentenced to eight years in prison May 18, 2023, after pleading guilty to a charge of burglary. He had raided the same Decatur church on consecutive days and stolen equipment valued at more than $20,000.
Colby J. Park
Colby J. Park, 25, was sentenced to a 24 month conditional discharge and ordered to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life after pleading guilty to the aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a 6-year-old boy by biting the child. The offense dates to October 7, 2018, and Park was sentenced May 19 of 2023.
Contact Tony Reid at (217) 421-7977. Follow him on Twitter: @TonyJReid