4 carnival workers charged in St. Charles stabbing
A trail of blood led police to four carnival workers who were charged Tuesday in the fatal stabbing of a 28-year-old St. Charles man, authorities said.
Bond was set at $1 million each for three men charged with first-degree murder and $30,000 for a fourth accused of trying to cover up St. Charles' first homicide since 2003.
Police said the stabbing took place shortly before midnight Sunday at a residence owned by the carnival company Windy City Amusements at 920 W. Main St.
Naromi N. Mannery was beaten with a chair and knifed several times in the back, chest and right arm, authorities said.
It appears Mannery then walked to a nearby block and collapsed on the south side of the street, where a passer-by spotted him and called police. He died about two hours later at a Geneva hospital.
"There was an actual trail of blood that led us back to the 920 W. Main St. address," St. Charles police spokesman Paul McCurtain said, crediting Tuesday's charges to a "quick call by a citizen, and a quick response by police."
Charged with three counts of first-degree murder each are Willie L. Wimberly, 55, and brothers Arthur, 57, and Guy L. Manning, 51. Darren A. Barnett, 42, faces an obstructing justice charge alleging he tried to clean up the crime scene.
All four defendants were employees of Windy City Amusements and lived in the building where police say the stabbing occurred. Mannery, a painter, lived in an apartment on the 2000 block of Oak Street and did not work for the carnival company, police said.
"They apparently just met the first time that day. They met at another residence and he (Mannery) followed one of the suspects" to the West Main Street address, McCurtain said.
Assistant State's Attorney Greg Sams said Mannery was intoxicated when he arrived at the address and an argument broke out while he was there.
As the altercation escalated, Guy Manning punched Mannery and hit him with a collapsible chair, prosecutors said. Wimberly also threw punches, authorities said, and Arthur Manning stabbed the victim with his brother's knife.
At a bond hearing Tuesday, Kane County Judge Robert Morrow said each of the three men could be charged with murder even if they didn't deliver the fatal stab wound to Mannery's chest.
"It is not necessary that you are doing the stabbing but were acting with other people," Morrow told one of the defendants.
Windy City Amusements did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday, and authorities would not discuss the argument or events that led up to the killing.
According to court documents, Guy Manning's criminal history includes charges of drug possession and obstructing justice. Arthur Manning was charged with misdemeanor theft in 2006, and Wimberly has convictions dating back to 1992 on charges including drug possession, battery and trespass.
Mannery, the victim, was convicted of disorderly conduct earlier this year.
If convicted of first-degree murder, each defendant could be sentenced to up to 60 years in prison. Obstructing justice is a Class 4 felony that carries a possible sentence of one to three years in prison.
The defendants were unable to post bond Tuesday and are in custody at the Kane County jail. Their next court date is Oct. 3.
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