Springfield, Illinois – On December 19, 2023, around 5:36 a.m., Springfield Police were called to the 2000 block of Black Ave., in Springfield, Illinois, for a report of a stabbing. The female victim informed dispatch that her husband had stabbed her.

When officers arrived, they located Demond C. Jones, aged 48, walking out the back door of the residence. He stated that she fell on the knife.

The woman was found downstairs in the basement room, lying on the bed, bleeding from her upper right thigh. Approximately 3 feet away, a brown kitchen steak knife was found, appearing to have a fluid or residue on it.

The woman was transported to the hospital, where she told officers that Demond had stabbed her with a knife while in the basement. She stated that her husband stabbed her once in the thigh, then stood over her in bed, saying, “I told you I would kill you.” The woman informed officers that she couldn’t move due to the pain after being stabbed.

Before Demond was advised of his Miranda Rights, he claimed his wife had jumped up from the bed onto her knees while they were talking downstairs. He said she then fell down, and that is when she fell on the knife, resulting in the stab wound to her upper right thigh.

Demond told officers that he and his wife live at the residence and have been together for about 20 years. He has not had a domestic battery charge with her before.

Demond has been charged by the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office with Domestic Battery (making physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature with any family or household member), a class 2 felony. A Sangamon County Judge denied pre-trial release and ordered Demond to remain in custody until the conclusion of this case.

According to records, Demond was previously charged with threatening a public official in April. He pled guilty and was sentenced to 12 months probation.

Demond is expected to return to court on January 4, 2024, at 9:00 a.m.

Springfield, Illinois – A local man has pleaded guilty after leaving the Family Guidance Center, a halfway house located at 120 N. 11th St. in Springfield, IL, and cutting off his ankle monitor at a Casey’s Gas Station.

On September 23, 2020, Brian S. Edwards, age 39, received a 46-month imprisonment sentence with 4 years of supervision for violating the terms of his Supervised Release. He initially faced charges on June 22, 2009, related to amphetamine, leading to a conviction and a 96-month imprisonment sentence with 4 years of supervised release.

On July 6, 2023, Edwards was transferred from the United States Penitentiary (USP) Pekin to the Family Guidance Center Residential Reentry Center at 120 N. 11th St., Springfield. The Family Guidance Center is a contracted Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) facility assisting individuals in adjusting to life outside of prison. Therefore, when Edwards entered the Family Guidance Center (FGC), this placement remained part of his BOP custodial sentence under BOP supervision.

On November 3, 2023, at approximately 6:00 p.m., staff at the Family Guidance Center observed Edwards, without authorization, running out of the building without shoes or socks, displaying erratic behavior after pacing around. The staff last saw Edwards getting into his Silver Ford Fusion and driving away.

On the same day, the Central District of Illinois U.S. Marshal Service Springfield Office received an escape notification from the Federal Bureau of Prisons for Brian S. Edwards.

Later on that day, state and local officers located Edwards’s vehicle in Greenview, IL, at the local Casey’s Gas Station around 7:58 p.m. Local officers interviewed clerks who stated that Edwards had entered the store and requested to use a pair of scissors. Once he had the scissors, Edwards bent over and cut off his GPS ankle monitor, leaving it in the store. State and local officers searched the area, arresting Edwards in Greenview, IL at around 10:27 p.m. Edwards was then transported to the Sangamon County Jail (BOP contract jail) due to violating the rules of the Family Guidance Center.

On December 11, 2023, Edwards pleaded guilty to a single federal charge of escape. Subsequently, he was released from Federal Bureau of Prisons custody and is currently awaiting sentencing

Spaulding, Illinois – William L. Cooper, aged 46, has been sentenced for shooting at police officers in Spaulding, Illinois. Cooper entered a guilty plea to a single and reduced charge of Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm, a Class 1 felony, after initially facing charges of two counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm at a police officer (also a Class X felony) and a count of aggravated assault with a motor vehicle, following allegations that Cooper drove through a metal gate directly at several responding officers.

He was arrested on Friday, August 20, 2021, after Sangamon County Central Dispatch received a call on Thursday, August 19, 2021, at 9:47 p.m., reporting a distressed male at 43 Devine Dr., Spaulding, believed to be William L. Cooper. The caller, not present at the residence, suggested a possible overdose. Riverton PD and Spaulding PD were the first to arrive, reporting shots fired, with no injuries.

Cooper fled the scene in a vehicle, later found unoccupied at Mary Lane and Francis Dr., Spaulding. Deputies established a perimeter, and Illinois State Police closed Route 54.

Attempts to communicate with Cooper by phone were unsuccessful, leading to a Facebook post by Cooper at some point. He was apprehended at 12:57 a.m. in the 5400 Block of River View Rd, Spaulding, Illinois.

Law enforcement reported finding at least 10 shell casings at the scene.

Following Cooper’s arraignment, he posted bond amounting to $100,000 (10 percent of his $1 million bond) and, upon release, was directed to comply with the following terms:

• GPS electronic monitoring
• Home confinement
• Psychiatric evaluation and adherence to all recommended treatment
• Surrender of all firearms and FOID Concealed Carry License

Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell clarified at the time that there was no indication that Cooper was under the influence of any substances.

On December 14, 2023, Cooper, represented by Criminal Defense Attorney Dan Fultz, was sentenced to 36 months of probation and fined a total of $10,724.00. If he had been convicted on his original charges, he could have faced a sentence of 10-45 years and would have been required to serve 85% of his sentence.

Springfield, Illinois – According to a source close to Springfield Leaks, the Illinois State Police is investigating a possible murder-suicide that occurred on December 17th and December 18th. The suspect in the homicide is Nicholas Giberson, a 46-year-old man who worked as a guard at Logan Correctional Center. According to Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon, Giberson died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in Riverton, Illinois. Our source also confirms that the victim in the homicide is Nicole Pedigo, a 33-year-old woman from Olney, Illinois.

A spokesperson for the Illinois State Police declined to confirm on the record whether both of these incidents are linked, but provided the following information:

The Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigation Zone 8 is leading the open and ongoing investigation into a homicide occurring on December 17, 2023, in the 2400 block of E. Main Street in Olney. The victim is identified as 33-year-old Nicole Pedigo of Olney, IL. It is believed there are no safety concerns to the community regarding this incident. To protect the integrity of the investigation, no further information is being released at this time.

The Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigation Zone 4 is leading the open and ongoing death investigation in the 100 block of E. Menard Street in Riverton on December 18, 2023. The victim is identified as 46-year-old Nicholas Giberson of Riverton, IL. An autopsy was conducted on December 19, 2023, with results pending. It is believed there are no safety concerns to the community regarding this incident. To protect the integrity of the investigation, no further information is being released at this time.”

Reportedly, Pedigo and Giberson were involved in a dating relationship. Richland County Sheriff Andy Hires stated that the situation effectively concluded with Giberson’s death. He mentioned, “There is still a significant amount of investigation to be carried out on the backend of the case.” Hires added that Ms. Pedigo’s demise is a grievous tragedy for the community, given that she leaves behind two young children.

Springfield Leaks will provide more details as soon as they become available.

Springfield, Illinois – A Springfield woman is expected to receive a summons to appear in court on December 28, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. after being charged with arson, a class 2 felony, by the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office.

According to reports we received, on October 11, 2023, Springfield Police and Fire were dispatched to the 2000 block of S. 10th St. for a garbage fire. Springfield Police spoke with the resident of the house, and she stated that she had video footage identifying the individual who started the fire.

The woman identified Alena D. Nelson, age 28, as the suspect because Nelson had previously set fire to a detached garage behind her house. The woman mentioned that, following the first fire, which occurred last year, she obtained an order of protection. Springfield officers verified the order of protection, and records indicate that Nelson was served. The order of protection is effective until August 2024.

The woman informed the police that Nelson won’t stop bothering her even after the Order of Protection was served. She mentioned that Nelson had been previously arrested for violating an order of protection. —–see if you can add this to the bottom. According to records, in June 2023, Nelson was charged with Criminal Damage to Property, a class 4 felony, and violating a stalking/no-contact order, a class A misdemeanor. The case is still ongoing.

Officers also spoke with the woman’s neighbor, who reported seeing a red Ford Utility truck going up and down the alley. The neighbor described a black female wearing a black sweatshirt with red lettering. According to him, she exited the vehicle and headed towards the back of the woman’s house. A minute later, he observed the female walking away with something white in her hand. Additionally, he noticed a fire and went to check, discovering a fire in the garbage on the South side of the house. While he was putting the fire out, the red truck returned, and the driver started yelling. He mentioned that he couldn’t make out what she was saying because he was focused on extinguishing the fire.

Officers noted that there was burned garbage and siding in the driveway. According to the resident, she estimated that the damage was approximately $1,500.

According to reports, this is the second time Nelson has been listed as a suspect in an arson investigation. Reports show that in November 2022, around 12:26 a.m., Springfield Police and Fire were called to the same address, involving the same woman, for a structure fire that was located behind the house at the garage.

Officers say when the woman arrived home from work, she was very upset, and said, “this lady is going to kill me.” The woman told police at that time that she has been going through ongoing issues with her ex-boyfriend’s other child’s mother and believed that she is the one that set her house on fire. According to records, Nelson has not been charged in this case.

Records show that, in addition to this arson case, she has other pending cases:

In November 2022, Nelson faced charges of 2 counts of violating a stalking no-contact order, but those charges were dropped.

In June 2023, Nelson was charged with Criminal Damage to Property, a class 4 felony, and violating a stalking/no-contact order, a class A misdemeanor. This case is still ongoing.

In August 2023, she was charged with criminal damage to property, and that case is still ongoing.

This month, Nelson was charged with Criminal Damage to Property for an incident that occurred on November 5, 2023. She was given a notice to appear on December 26, 2023, for that case.

Springfield, Illinois – The owner and CEO of Urgent Rent-A-Car, Jordan J. Monroe, 32, a well-known figure in Springfield, Illinois, due to his documented unethical and illegal business practices, was sentenced Friday, December 15, 2023 after being found guilty of Aggravated Battery, a class 3 felony, following a jury trial. The charges stemmed from an incident where a male victim, who was also a Rent-A-Car customer renting a vehicle from the business, reported being punched in the face by Monroe outside United Community Bank (UCB) located at 617 Bruns Ln. on August 11, 2021.

According to the victim, he had just parked at UCB Bank to pick up a friend from work when a black male in his 30s, accompanied by Monroe in a suit, removed him from the vehicle before he could put the car in park. The victim, who had rented the car from Urgent Rent-A-Car, reported Monroe taking the vehicle key and driving off.

The victim stated that he had rented the vehicle from Urgent Rent-A-Car, and the vehicle was not due back until after 5:00 p.m. that day. The officer noted that the time the victim called the police to report the battery was 4:49 p.m., and the incident occurred before that.

The victim informed the police that, while attempting to retrieve his belongings from the vehicle (which included $300, a Turbo Phone Charger, Cash App Debit Card, Uber Debit Card, Lyft Debit Card, Grub Hub Debit Card, House Keys, and a Red Grub Hub Bag with paperwork), Monroe punched him in the face. The officer noted in his report that the victim had a visible laceration to his nose and was bleeding. “There was blood on the ground where the incident occurred and on the front of the victim’s shirt.”

The victim continued his statement by saying that when he was pulled out of the vehicle, it rolled back into Jordan’s vehicle, a blue and white BMW sports car. The officer noted, “The victim stated that the doors flipped up to open, and there was damage to the front bumper from the vehicle rolling back into it.”

The victim said after he was punched in the face by Monroe, Monroe got back in his BMW and left the scene.

The officer spoke with an employee at UCB bank who confirmed that they would have video of the incident. UCB Bank emailed over security footage, and the officer noted in his report what he observed in the video.

“The video showed the suspect vehicle pull directly behind the victim’s vehicle after it parked in the parking space near UCB Bank. The suspect vehicle was positioned in a manner that prevented the victim’s vehicle from backing out of the parking space. The driver exited the suspect vehicle and walked to the driver’s door of the victim’s vehicle and opened it. The suspect vehicle driver then appeared to reach into the victim’s vehicle. It appeared both drivers were exchanging words as a passenger (tall, heavy-set black male wearing all black) from the suspect vehicle exited and walked to the driver’s side of the victim’s vehicle. The black male stood at the victim’s vehicle. He appeared to still be exchanging words with the driver of the victim’s vehicle when the driver quickly exited, and the victim’s vehicle rolled into the suspect’s vehicle.”

“After the unoccupied vehicle collided, the suspect vehicle driver rushed over to the victim’s vehicle driver, punched him in the face, and then got into the suspect vehicle and fled the scene. As this was taking place, the black male got in the driver’s seat of the victim’s vehicle. As the victim chased after the suspect vehicle, the black male drove off in the victim’s vehicle.”

Springfield Police Officers attempted to locate Monroe, including having a Chatham Police Department officer go by his registered address in Chatham, but Monroe was not found.

However, 10 days later, on August 20, 2021, Monroe was charged by the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office with 2 counts of Aggravated Battery and 2 counts of Battery. Monroe was released after paying 10 percent ($5,000) of his $50,000 bond. Before trial, the State’s Attorney’s office dismissed both counts of Battery and instead tried him on the two counts of Aggravated Battery, both class 3 felonies.

On July 10, 2023, a Sangamon County Jury deliberated for an hour and returned a guilty verdict for Aggravated Battery (bodily harm) and found him not guilty for Aggravated Battery (insulting or provoking contact).

In court on Friday, Monroe’s attorney, John Sharp, informed Sangamon County Judge Raylene Grischow that, due to subsequent information, they had reached the stage of a negotiated disposition. This negotiated disposition concluded all of Monroe’s pending cases, and he was sentenced to 24 months of probation for Aggravated Battery, a class 3 felony. Other charges in separate cases, such as reckless driving, reckless conduct, and disorderly conduct — all misdemeanors — were dropped. Additionally, a case for Aggravated fleeing and eluding from Chatham police in October 2021, a class 4 felony, was dismissed. A separate speeding ticket (35+ mph over the limit) was dismissed, but Monroe had to pay a $402 fine for that case. His Insurance Fraud case, a class 3 felony, was dismissed, but he was ordered to repay the National Interstate Insurance Company $2,124.34. His 2016 BMW i8 is also set to be released and returned to him.

A reporter for Springfield Leaks did reach out to John Milhiser, the re-appointed State’s Attorney for Sangamon County, to inquire about what our sources are describing as a sweetheart plea deal considering his criminal history. However, we have not received a response from Milhiser as of now.

Sources close to Springfield Leaks also confirmed that Monroe has a history of providing GPS data from his rental vehicles to the police. One source, who requested anonymity, verified that a particular Springfield Police Detective would contact Monroe via call or text when investigating a shooting. The detective would also check if Monroe had a vehicle matching the description of one involved in a shooting and seek information. The source also confirmed that information was shared with the police, contributing to various drug busts.

Monroe has an extensive criminal history and a record of unethical and illegal business practices that led to the involvement of Springfield, Chatham, and Secretary of State Police:

February 4, 2021:

• An Urgent Rent-A-Car Saturn Cue 4-door car, towed due to the driver having a revoked license, had a different license plate on the vehicle that didn’t belong to it. In the report, the officer wrote, “At this time, Urgent is suspected of knowingly displaying the wrong registration plates on the Saturn and renting it out regardless. The company is owned by Jordan J. Monroe.”

May 23, 2021:

• A woman reported to the police that her rental car from Urgent Rent A Car was repossessed before the late fee was due. Urgent Rent A Car claimed the vehicle was taken out of state, violating their contract. Springfield Police intervened to retrieve the renter’s items left in the vehicle. The officer noted that when asked about an inventory of the property, Jordan Monroe did not provide one and only showed a black trash bag, stating all items were in the bag. After a Sergeant responded, the renter got her property back, but $700 was reported missing from her wallet.

July 06, 2021:

• Jordan Monroe went to the Starbucks Coffee Shop located at 3412 Freedom Drive. He came through the drive-thru and asked about the employee’s co-worker, inquiring if the co-worker’s girlfriend was working. The co-worker asked Monroe “how do you know him,” and Monroe replied that he and his female passengers were fans of the co-worker. The employee then asked Monroe to please stop asking personal questions about him. According to the employee, Monroe got upset and attempted to drive away, but the employee still had his card. After the employee tried to give it back to him, she dropped it inside his car through the window. She then told the police that when she turned around, she was struck in the lower leg by a full cold drink. The employee said she wasn’t injured but was extremely alarmed and disturbed by Monroe’s actions.

July 17, 2021:

• Deontrey L. Holder was arrested at Urgent Rent A Car. Police were called to the business for a disturbance. According to the report, Holder stated that his cousin rented a car from Urgent Rent a Car, and he was driving it. However, Urgent Rent a Car repossessed the vehicle for lack of proof of insurance. Holder told the police that he had several car seats inside the vehicle, and per Urgent Rent a Car’s contract, to retrieve the car seats, Holder had to pay a $100 repossession fee. According to police, Holder did not want to pay the fee.

Police read the contract, and according to the contract, Urgent Rent a Car has the right to repossess any vehicle they rent for any reason; the property inside the vehicle becomes the property of Urgent Rent a Car, and in order to retrieve the property, Urgent Rent a Car must be paid a $100 repossession fee. After police informed Holder of the contract, they told him that he would have to settle the matter in civil court and that he needed to leave the property.

Police reported that Holder stated he did not care if he went to jail for giving somebody a bloody nose. According to police, Monroe stated he is a six (6) time felon and was attempting to antagonize Holder into a physical fight. Monroe also made a shrewd business decision by removing a large amount of cash from the safe and placing it directly on the counter in front of Holder to try and prove Monroe did not care about cash, and that his stance was based purely on his noble principles. Police say Holder requested a supervisor within the Springfield Police Department but was told that they were busy dealing with an unrelated robbery and shooting. Police say Holder then stated someone else was probably going to get shot. Based on his tone and body language, police believed Holder to be making a threat. At approximately 7:18 p.m., police placed Holder under arrest.

Holder was arrested on preliminary charges of Aggravated Assault, a class A misdemeanor, and Criminal Trespass to Property, a class B misdemeanor. However, the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office declined to file charges.

September 19, 2021:

• Three vehicles at Urgent Rent-A-Car were damaged. Tires were slashed.

September 21, 2021:

• A man went to 1817 E. Keys Ave in Springfield, Illinois after his $400 Lenovo Laptop was pinging to that address. According to the man, his nephew had rented a vehicle from Urgent Rent-A-Car, and his rental was expired. The vehicle was towed from Crown Plaza in Lombard, IL on September 20, 2021. The man said that he spoke to the CEO of the company (Jordan Monroe), who said he did not have the laptop and suggested that the tow company possibly stole it.

The man told the police his suitcase was in the Urgent Rent-A-Car at the time of the tow, and when he went to Urgent Rent A Car to retrieve his property, he noticed his laptop was missing from his luggage. The man described his laptop as silver, black, gray, with music notes on it. The serial number for the Lenovo 81 MU Laptop is PF1C69BL.

September 25, 2021:

• A family had their Urgent Rent A Car vehicle repossessed by a tow truck while picking up food, after making arrangements to make a payment on their rental. A woman complained to the police and said Monroe “shoulder checked” her (using his shoulder to push her backward). The woman reported that when she called Urgent Rent-A-Car and spoke to someone she believed to be Monroe based on his voice, she asked for the names of the three men who were in the tow truck. The man responded and said, “The only thing you need to worry about is me kidnapping your daughter, raping her, and barbecuing the nigger bitch.” That same day, the officer reported that the silver Chrysler Sebring that the family was driving was registered in the State of Arizona and Illinois.

October 8, 2021:

• Police responded to Urgent Rent A Car after a man called the police to report that his rented car broke down less than a block away from the business. When the man went back to the business to attempt to get his money back or get a different car, the business refused to issue a refund and told him he had to leave. The man told them he was going to wait for the police when a male employee grabbed him in a headlock and dragged him outside the building. According to a separate witness, she reported that she saw Monroe kicking the man and that the man was trying to cover up and not fight back.

October 11, 2021:

• Monroe was clocked speeding over 80 miles-per-hour in a 40 mile-per-hour speed zone in Chatham, Illinois by Chatham Police. Chatham police obtained a seizure warrant for the vehicle he was driving that night, a BMW i8 Coupe. Monroe attempted to prevent police from seizing the vehicle, which required Chatham Police to seek a warrant for the vehicle and the driver, Monroe. Monroe was charged with Aggravated fleeing and eluding police, a class 4 felony. This case was dismissed with a $402 fine and his BMW i8 was ordered to be returned to him.

October 21, 2021:

• Monroe contacted Chatham Police Department to report that he was a victim of “Cyberstalking” by an ex-employee who had been stealing from the company and fired. According to Monroe, the fired employee wrote on two Facebook groups and announced that “Urgent Rent a Car says they will refund your money if you got repoed.” The ex-employee then included in the post Monroe’s residential address located at 1831 Spartan Dr., in Chatham, Illinois.

According to Monroe’s complaint to the Chatham Police Department, he was extremely worried that his home address is now on Facebook for people to see. “Jordan stated he had issues with customers in the past and is worried that they could come to his home.” After an Investigator with the Chatham Police Department contacted Assistant State’s Attorney, Haley Botts, to ask what else they needed for this case, Botts told the Investigator, “the case would not be charged, and there was nothing else he could do for them.”

March 19, 2023:

• Springfield Police were called to Urgent Rent A Car to meet with customers at the business for a disturbance. According to police, the caller said that the owner of the business, Jordan Monroe, was threatening to “mace” people.

Police spoke with Monroe, who said that a rental car was brought back by a different person who didn’t rent the vehicle, and they were attempting to get a deposit returned although they weren’t the person who rented the vehicle. Monroe said he told them to leave his property, but they stayed on the sidewalk and at one point had bricks in their hands. Monroe said he feared that they might begin to damage his property, and that’s when he went outside to confront them. Monroe said the man punched him on the left shoulder.

According to the man who returned the vehicle, Monroe had maced a person who showed up to help him. According to the woman, she said that Monroe had pushed her because she started recording the incident. She stated that the man did not strike Monroe.

Police reviewed the surveillance cameras on Monroe’s building. “It appeared as if Monroe and an unknown individual followed the group down the sidewalk instead of staying inside and calling the police. That video shows the unknown subject approach Monroe and either throw something at him or drop something. Monroe then sprays him, and he eventually leaves.” No arrests were made that day due to a lack of independent witnesses, evidence, and the fact that Monroe and an unknown individual followed the party down the sidewalk.

The instances mentioned above, where Springfield Police had to be called to Urgent Rent-A-Car, represent only a few detailed events. According to records from Sangamon County, there are numerous additional instances where Springfield Police were called due to customer disputes.

Monroe’s Criminal History:

• Retail Theft (Class 3): McLean County Case Number 2018-CF-288 (sentenced to 30 days in county jail and 30 months of felony probation)

• Aggravated Battery (Class 3) and Criminal Damage to Property (Class 4): Sangamon County Case Number 2015-CF-170 (sentenced to 1 year in the Department of Corrections)

• Criminal Damage to Property (Class 4): Sangamon County Case Number 2013-CF-889 (sentenced to 1 year in the Department of Corrections)

• Aggravated Robbery (Class 2): Sangamon County Case Number 2010-CF-817 (sentenced to 5 years in the Department of Corrections)

Springfield, Illinois – On December 3, 2023, Springfield Police were called to Memorial Medical Center to remove an individual. According to Memorial Medical Center, a man had started a fire in their bathroom.

According to Springfield Police, Anthony J. Smith Jr., 39, was arrested after Memorial Medical Center security reported he started a fire in the men’s restroom. An officer, upon arriving at Memorial Medical Center, entered the bathroom with heavy smoke damage. In the furthest stall, he observed a burnt, black toilet paper holder.

Smith was seen on camera entering the bathroom, and when another individual went to use the bathroom, they opened the men’s restroom door and advised that the bathroom had smoke all over. The same individual then went and alerted hospital staff of the fire.

Memorial Security Staff informed the police that their engineers estimated the damage caused by the fire, primarily to the toilet paper holder and drywall, to be around $5,000.

Anthony, whose address is listed as homeless, has been charged with Aggravated Arson, a class X felony, for starting the fire at the hospital while knowing people are inside the building. He was denied pre-trial release and remains in the Sangamon County Jail.

Records show that Smith was previously arrested on November 28, 2023, and charged with criminal damage to property, a class 4 felony. He was released on pre-trial release on November 30, 2023 – just three days before he set the fire at Memorial Medical Center. Additional records show that on August 13, 2023, he was arrested for criminal damage to property, a class 4 felony, and released later that month on a recognizance bond.

Smith’s next court date is set for December 21, 2023 at 9:00 a.m.

Springfield, Illinois – On December 4, 2023, Springfield Police responded to 30 Imperial Valley Dr. for a welfare check. Alexis Goodloe’s grandmother called law enforcement to report that her grandchildren were allegedly being battered by their mother, who was using an extension cord.

Upon arrival at the house, police met with both of Goodloe’s children. They informed the officers that their mother, Alexis Goodloe, age 28, became upset about the house being a mess, leading her to yell at them and physically harm them with a belt. One of the children mentioned wearing multiple layers of clothing and not sustaining any injuries. The other child showed officers her right arm, which had a raised abrasion on her elbow and a small laceration on her forearm. She also stated that she had injuries to her thighs.

The Illinois Department of Children & Family Services was notified of the incident, and they advised that they were going to make a report.

An officer at the scene reported that, while attempting to arrest Ms. Goodloe, she resisted, leading him to pull out his taser. He reported, “I walked up and advised Ms. Goodloe to put her hands behind her back as she was under arrest. She turned her arm and body away from me, attempting to move away from officers. I grabbed her arm and told her to stop, but she pulled away and tried to walk off. To gain control and make the arrest, I performed a leg sweep. Ms. Goodloe continued to roll on the ground, preventing officers from placing handcuffs on her. I then displayed my Taser and instructed her to roll onto her stomach and put her hands behind her back. Although she turned onto her stomach, she refused to comply. I managed to gain control of her left wrist using a wrist lock, ultimately gaining control of Ms. Goodloe. She was then placed in handcuffs.”

Goodloe was taken to the Sangamon County Jail and released after being granted pre-trial release. The Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office has charged her with two counts of domestic battery, a class A misdemeanor.

Goodloe is expected to return to court on February 21, 2024, at 9:00 a.m.

Menard County, Illinois – A former Menard County Sheriff’s Deputy was arrested after being involved in a single-vehicle accident. The Illinois State Police responded and arrested the former deputy for driving under the influence of alcohol. She was then transported to Menard County Jail, where she reportedly slapped a correctional officer.

On November 28, 2023, around 5:50 p.m., Deputy Michael Dosier of the Menard County Sheriff’s Department was dispatched to a single-car accident with no injuries on State Highway 97 near Athens Blacktop.

Deputy Dosier reported that upon arriving at the scene, he observed a blue SUV halfway blocking the southbound lane on State Highway 97, with the front of the vehicle in the ditch. He asked bystanders if they witnessed anything, and one person mentioned seeing the vehicle swerve and enter the ditch. Deputy Dosier then approached the driver’s side of the vehicle and spoke with the driver, Kelsey M. Wooldridge, age 30, a former co-worker he knew. He noted that during their conversation, Kelsey had a hard time forming sentences and kept repeating herself. According to Deputy Dosier’s report, she mentioned swerving to miss a deer, apologizing and claiming she had never hit a deer. She repeated this multiple times, and at one point, she couldn’t remember if she had hit the deer.

Deputy Dosier reported that Kelsey began to drink water, but he told her to stop because the Illinois State Police were on their way to handle the accident, given Kelsey’s previous employment with the Menard County Sheriff’s Office. Before concluding his report, Deputy Dosier mentioned that when Trooper Carlock with the Illinois State Police arrived on the scene, Kelsey mentioned to him that she was going to go to jail because she could not do the eye test because of her eye issues.

The scene was then turned over to the Illinois State Police, and Kelsey was arrested, initially taken to the Menard County Jail.

At around 7:33 p.m., Deputy Dosier was called to the Menard County Jail to transport Kelsey to Memorial Medical Center in Springfield, Illinois.

Deputy Dosier reported that while in the jail, he witnessed Correctional Officer Isabelle Staab trying to stop Kelsey from pulling on the door in the booking room. He entered the room to assist C.O. Staab. “I helped sit Kelsey down on the bench. While she was on the bench, we talked to her to calm her down and get her to cooperate with us. C.O. Staab wanted Kelsey to go into the holding cell. Kelsey did not want to go into the holding cell. Kelsey wanted Correction Officer Randy Holliday, so I had him step in. Deputy Luke Standley entered the room as well. It was explained to Kelsey that she needed to go into the holding cell several times, and Kelsey refused. Deputy Stanley and I then assisted Kelsey up while she was trying to hold onto the bench. Kelsey was escorted to the holding cell. Once in the holding cell, I let go of her arm. As soon as I let go of Kelsey’s arm, she turned around and slapped me in the face. Once she slapped me in the face, I grabbed Kelsey and put her on the bed in the holding cell and put her left arm behind her back, while Deputy Standley placed handcuffs on her and double-locked them.”

As per C.O. Staab’s report, Kelsey refused to go into the holding cell. “Kelsey stated multiple times that she was not going into the holding cell and refused. Deputy Standley and Dosier assisted Wooldridge to the holding cell,” C.O. Staab reported. “Once Kelsey was in the cell, Deputy Dosier let go of her arm. Kelsey turned abruptly and struck Deputy Dosier in the face with an open hand. I assisted Deputy Dosier in securing Kelsey’s arms behind her back.”

C.O. Staab noted a bright red mark forming on the left side of Deputy Dosier’s jaw.

In response to Kelsey’s arrest, Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell shared with us that the Menard County Sheriff’s Office contacted the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, seeking permission to transfer her to the Sangamon County Jail. Sheriff Campbell pointed out that it’s not unusual for one agency to hold an inmate for another. “The Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office has done this before with the Menard County Sheriff’s Office when there is a potential issue with an inmate being housed in our jail,” he shared.

According to personnel records, Kelsey was first hired as a part-time corrections officer with the Menard County Sheriff’s Department on August 15, 2016. She then became a full-time corrections officer on March 27, 2017, and later a full-time deputy sheriff assigned as a school resource officer with the PORTA School District. According to Menard County Sheriff Mark Oller, Kelsey was Menard County’s first female patrol deputy.

In a resignation agreement between Kelsey Wooldridge and the County of Menard, she agreed to resign from her employment two months ago, on August 3, 2023. The resignation agreement outlined that Menard County would provide Kelsey with a neutral non-law enforcement job reference, only providing dates of employment and noting that she resigned. The County also agreed to keep Kelsey under the County’s insurance with the same benefits enjoyed by full-time employees until August 31, 2023. Kelsey was required to return all county-owned property, including her county ID, within one week of the resignation letter date.

Chief Mike Nichols of the Petersburg Police Department informed us that Kelsey resigned from her position on August 7th, 2023, and is no longer employed with the Petersburg Police Department. When we inquired about the existence of a departmental investigation prior to her resignation, given our suspicion regarding the circumstances of her departure from both departments, Chief Nichols told us, “As far as Kelsey [sic] is concerned, she was a part-time officer only, and there was no internal investigation within our department. Any further questions regarding Kelsey should be directed to the Menard County Sheriff’s Office.”

Following the DUI and the physical confrontation with the deputy, the Menard County State’s Attorney’s Office has filed charges against Kelsey for transporting/carrying alcohol, Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol (a class A misdemeanor), aggravated battery of a peace officer (a class 2 felony), and resisting a peace officer (a class A misdemeanor).

We are actively seeking information regarding the circumstances leading to Kelsey’s resignation from both the Petersburg Police Department and the Menard County Sheriff’s Office. As we receive additional details, we will continue to provide updates.

Kelsey’s next court date is set for December 12, 2023, with Criminal Defense Attorney Sara Vig of Vig Law representing her, according to records.

Stay tuned to Springfield Leaks for additional updates.

Springfield, Illinois – On November 20, 2023, around 12:44 p.m., the Springfield Fire Department and the Springfield Police Department were dispatched to a vacant building at 1020 N. 10th Street, currently owned by the City of Springfield.

An employee for CWLP called in to report smoke coming from the door and flames inside the building. Upon arrival, the Springfield Fire Department extinguished a small intentionally set fire in the corner of the building and discovered a woman inside. The woman was identified as Meagan J. Martinez, age 39.

According to the firefighters at the scene, Martinez, whose address is listed as homeless, admitted to setting the fire and said, ‘You don’t bother any other crackheads in here, so why are you bothering me?

Martinez was Mirandized and questioned about the fire, and according to Springfield Fire Department Arson Investigator Clint Warnisher, Martinez stated that she knew the building was vacant and that it was owned by the City. She acknowledged that she had no permission to be there or permission to start a fire inside the building.

Martinez was taken to the Sangamon County Jail and charged by the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office with Arson, a class 2 felony, and Criminal Damage to Government Supported Property, a class 4 felony.

She was released from the County Jail after being granted pre-trial release. A Sangamon County Judge ordered her to stay away from all vacant buildings as a term of her pre-trial release.

Martinez’s next court date is December 14, 2023, at 9:00 a.m.

We checked out the area near the vacant building, took some photos, and spoke with a resident in the area. She informed us that squatters have been staying in the vacant residences pictured below. She also mentioned a rat problem due to issues with the sewers in the area. Despite her efforts to address it with City Workers, nothing has been done about it.

The following pictures were taken on the same block (N 10th St.) and within walking distance of the vacant City-Owned Building.