Sheley changes mind on guilty plea

GALESBURG -- A man charged in a two-state killing spree now says he doesn't want to plead guilty in the first of the eight deaths to go to trial.

Nicholas Sheley in late September told Knox County Judge James Stewart that he wanted to plead guilty to killing 65-year-old Ronald Randall of Galesburg in June 2008. He'd pleaded not guilty shortly after the crime.

On Friday, however, the 30-year-old Sheley told Stewart he's changed his mind. He didn't elaborate.

Stewart on Friday also declined to move the trial as Sheley has requested. Stewart says he believes he can seat an unbiased jury despite polls by Sheley's attorneys indicating it might be difficult.

Sheley is charged with killing six people in Illinois and two in Missouri in June 2008.