Robert Ely, suspect in death William Marshall, will plead not guilty pjstar.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from pjstar.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
PEORIA – A stranger conned his way into the home of a retired Peoria surgeon prior to his stabbing death, State s Attorney Jodi Hoos told the Journal Star.
Robert Ely, 54, was arrested Wednesday in the St. Louis area and charged with murder in the death of 92-year-old William Marshall in early January. Ely, who is from the St. Louis area, is part of a group of people who travel around the region and target the elderly, Hoos said. They start with individuals who usually live alone, are older and have a very distinct scam that they do and, unfortunately, Dr. Marshall was a victim to this, Hoos told the Journal Star. They are very good at conning their way into the house. They are good at getting entry into people s homes. This person, Ely, he pretended that he knew Dr. Marshall and was able to get inside the home.
PEORIA William Marshall was a tall, gentle giant who both commanded respect and exuded elegance, said his friends less than a week after he was found stabbed to death in his North Peoria home.
And they point to one Downtown piece of art that serves as a memorial to his affection for the arts in Peoria. He had a wonderful presence and elegance about him, said Kristan McKinsey, director of the Illinois Women Artists Project and a former curator at the Peoria Riverfront Museum. I loved the way he would walk, very confidently but without haughtiness. He accepted others regardless of their backgrounds or their interests. He really wanted to know who you were.