Chicago Area Local News

GRANITE CITY, Ill. (AP) ― Authorities from two states conducted an exhaustive manhunt for an ex-convict suspected in eight grisly killings, yet he ended up being taken into custody without incident outside a bar known as a police hangout.

Nicholas T. Sheley's capture was only a matter of time because of the intense publicity surrounding the case, said Tim Lewis, police chief in the St. Louis suburb of Festus, Mo.

Police knew from a number of witness reports that Sheley was in the area, Lewis said.

"He was desperate and he gave up without a fight," he said. "He looks rough. He's had a rough two days."

Sheley was arrested around 6:40 p.m. Tuesday while smoking a cigarette outside of Bindy's, a bar in Granite City about 10 miles north of St. Louis, witnesses said.

Sheley ordered a glass of water and went to the bathroom before an employee and customer recognized him, bartender Katie Ronk said. The customer, Gary Range, said he left the bar and notified a police officer parked in the lot outside.

"I told (the police officer) the description and the officer said, `That's him.' He got on the radio and eventually there were police all over the place," Range said.

Illinois State Police, the FBI and the St. Louis Major Crimes Task Force arrested the 28-year-old Sheley without incident, state police Sgt. Thomas J. Burek said.

Sheley remained jailed Wednesday in Granite City, a police dispatcher there said. It was not immediately clear when or where Sheley would appear in court as authorities decide whether he stays in Illinois or goes to Missouri to face possible charges.

A dispatcher with Granite City police said early Wednesday it wasn't known if Sheley has a lawyer.

The FBI on Tuesday launched a manhunt for Sheley, who they warned should be considered armed and dangerous. Among those authorities believe Sheley killed were a 93-year-old man, a toddler and a couple whose blood-soaked dogs were found roaming a motel parking lot.

Sheley has only been charged in the death of two of the eight and law enforcement agencies declined to speculate on a motive.

He faces charges of first-degree murder, aggravated battery and vehicular hijacking in the death of Ronald Randall, whose body was found Monday behind a grocery store in Galesburg, in northwestern Illinois, police said. An autopsy showed the 65-year-old died from blunt force trauma to the head, likely on Saturday.

Sheley also is charged with murder in the death of 93-year-old Russell Reed in Sterling, according to the Whiteside County State's Attorney.

Investigators said Randall, Reed and the other victims all appeared to have died in the same manner and that evidence linked to Sheley was recovered at each scene. The FBI and Illinois State Police declined to elaborate.

Authorities said the killings began with the beating death of Reed, whose body was found stuffed in the trunk of a car Thursday. Sheley also is from Sterling, a town of 15,000 about 100 miles west of Chicago.

On Monday, police discovered the bodies of two men, a woman and a child in an apartment in nearby Rock Falls. Investigators believe they likely died late Saturday or early Sunday.

Sheley was acquainted with the male victims, Brock Branson, 29, and Kenneth Ulve Jr., 25, who were both from Rock Falls said Illinois State Police Region Two Commander Mark Maton. The Whiteside County coroner identified the remaining victims as 20-year-old Kilynna Blake, 20, and Dayan Blake, 2, both of Cedar City, Utah.

More than 250 miles away, the bodies of Tom and Jill Estes of Sherwood, Ark., were found Monday behind a gas station in Festus, said Lt. Bill Baker of the St. Louis Area Major Case Squad.

The couple had checked into a Comfort Inn in Festus on Friday and were last seen late Sunday. Their dogs were found in the hotel parking lot, unharmed but covered with blood.

Public records show Sheley has multiple convictions for robbery, drugs and weapons charges and has spent three years in prison.

Meanwhile Wednesday, two of Sheley's family members also were being held in Whiteside County on charges connected to Reed's killing.

Eric Smith, Sheley's cousin, was being held on $100,000 bond on an obstruction of justice charge. Sheley's brother Josh Sheley was being held on a $750,000 bond and was charged with concealing a homicidal death and obstructing justice, according to the state's attorney.

Both were scheduled for July 11 court appearances.

Sheley's uncle, Joe Sheley, 47, of Sterling, said before his nephew's capture that Nicholas Sheley recently struggled with drugs and his rap sheet includes arrests for home invasion.

"He's been in trouble many times over the years, but something like this, yeah, it's out of character," Joe Sheley said. "He's got a temper like anybody else. Just doesn't want to be messed with. Won't back down. But to go looking for a fight, looking for trouble, no."

Sheley spent nearly three years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for aggravated robbery between 2000 and 2003 and another 17 months on parole, which ended in April 2005, said IDOC spokesman Derek Schnapp.

Federal prosecutors in northern Illinois charged Sheley on Tuesday with fleeing the state to avoid prosecution for a June 14 felony home invasion in Sterling.

At one point Sheley was in Iowa, and stopped to call his wife Saturday from a rest area between Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa, an FBI agent said in an affidavit.

William Monroe, an assistant special agent in charge of the FBI's Chicago field office, said he believes Sheley also traveled last week to buy drugs in Chicago, where authorities recovered two handguns taken from Reed -- the first man killed.

Associated Press writers Daniel Yovich in Sterling, Sophia Tareen, Ashley M. Heher and Don Babwin in Chicago contributed to this report.

(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Editor's Picks

• Gay Celebrities
• Did You Know? Stars From Chicago!
• Celebs Who Lean To The Right
• Real Or Fake?