Man convicted in East Peoria killing
PEKIN, Ill. — Jurors in Pekin have convicted a Peoria man of shooting a man to death in East Peoria last June.
The Pekin Daily Times reports that 23-year-old James Johnson was convicted on Friday after jurors deliberated for two hours. He was charged with shooting 21-year-old Justin Siebenthal to death when Siebenthal tried to stop an armed robbery at his East Peoria home.
Johnson was on trial in Tazewell County for two weeks. He will be sentenced July 25.
A co-defendant, 21-year-old Carlton Neely, pleaded guilty in December. His plea was in exchange for a 40-year term and his testimony against Johnson.
Johnson’s defense attorney said the murder was Neely’s fault.
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