A 15-year-old boy has been formally charged with first-degree murder in connection with the stabbing death of an elderly neighbor in East St. Louis, Illinois. The victim has been identified as 78-year-old John Wesley Allen Sr.
Illinois State Police responded to reports of a body in the road on Monday night around 10 p.m. Officers located Allen Sr. at the intersection of North 76th Street and State Street. He was pronounced dead at the scene just before 11:30 p.m.
The investigation led authorities to a 15-year-old suspect, who was taken into custody on Tuesday. On Thursday, he was formally charged with first-degree murder. Investigators have stated that Allen Sr. was waiting at a bus stop when he was allegedly attacked by the teenager, who was dressed in a clown costume.
Chilling doorbell camera footage captured the masked teenager going door-to-door in the neighborhood. In one clip, shared by resident Lora Palmer, the suspect approaches a Ring camera and is heard whispering, "I've been looking for you." The footage shows the suspect, with a mask covering his face, moving through the residential area.
Another neighbor, Corrine Spry, reported seeing the teenager on her back porch twirling a knife and believes he may have circled back around the area. She estimated the suspect was in the vicinity for approximately 45 minutes before law enforcement arrived.
Lee Palmer, Lora Palmer's son, expressed his concern after seeing the footage, noting that his mother was home alone at the time and the masked individual stayed on their property for several minutes. He described the encounter as "spooky."
Illinois State Police confirmed that video footage of the suspect in the clown costume was circulating and that they were collecting relevant video evidence. Following the arrest, law enforcement officials stated that there was no remaining threat to the public. The suspect remains in custody.
The distance from where the Ring camera footage was captured to where Allen Sr. was found is approximately a 10-minute walk.