15-year-old grudge blamed for murder
Anne Warfield
(Despite the photographer credit at the end of this article, there's
no photograph at the URL below. Maybe it's in the dead tree edition?)
From the [Springfield IL] State Journal-Register--
15-year-old grudge blamed for murder
Hillsboro man gunned down in diner; suspect arrested after cemetery
standoff
By NANCY SLEPICKA
CORRESPONDENT
HILLSBORO - A 15-year-old grudge led one Hillsboro man to kill another
Friday morning, shooting him point-blank inside the cafe he frequented
for breakfast, authorities said.
William Shreve, 61, was shot just before 6:15 a.m. inside the Stoplite
Cafe near the intersection of Illinois 16 and Illinois 127 in the
middle of town. He was pronounced dead at the scene by Montgomery
County Coroner Rick Broaddus.
About half a dozen patrons and employees in the restaurant witnessed
the shooting and recognized Beal, who left immediately, police said.
Beal blamed Shreve for the breakup of his marriage more than 15 years
ago, according to Beal’s younger brother, Dave, a Hillsboro Ambulance
emergency medical technician who also serves with the auxiliary police
and as a volunteer firefighter.
Doris Povolko, a 71-year-old waitress at the Stoplite, said she was 10
feet away when the shooting occurred.
“Every morning, I waited on (Shreve),” she said. “I’m in shock - I
can’t believe it. You just don’t expect anything like this to happen
in a family restaurant.”
Assistant Hillsboro police chief Gary Satterlee said information from
family members led authorities to Clear Springs Cemetery, 4 miles
southwest of Hillsboro, where they spotted Beal’s parked vehicle.
Beal, who sold trophies and was a licensed, self-employed gun dealer,
was found sitting at his parents’ gravesite and armed with three
handguns, police said. They also said Beal was threatening to commit
suicide.
Beal’s brother said Beal had previously threatened to kill himself.
For the next four hours, Police Chief Darrel Turcol and Montgomery
County Undersheriff Rick Robbins talked with Beal. The area around the
small cemetery was surrounded by nearly 30 local, county and state
police officers, including the Illinois State Police Tactical Response
Team.
Early in the negotiations, one of Beal’s guns discharged, but no one
was injured, Turcol said.
He said he and Robbins were able to gradually get close enough to
tackle and disarm Beal about 11:35 a.m. Beal was booked into the
county jail on a charge of first-degree murder. His arraignment is
scheduled for next week.
Police confiscated a .357-caliber Magnum, a .38-caliber handgun and
the alleged murder weapon, a .44-caliber Magnum.
Satterlee said Beal, a lifelong Hillsboro resident, had no criminal
record. He said police had not been aware of any dispute between Beal
and Shreve.
Shreve was employed as a concrete truck driver at Fuller Bros. Ready
Mix in Hillsboro. A co-worker on Friday said hadn’t heard about any
earlier altercations between the two men.
Shreve is survived by a wife, children and stepchildren.
Staff photographer Shannon Guthrie contributed to this report. Nancy
Slepicka can be reached through the metro desk at 788-1519.
http://www.sj-r.com/sections/news/stories/38971.asp
--
Anne Warfield
indigoace at goodsol period com
http://www.goodsol.com/cats/
