Streator murder case sees new felony charge filed

The chief suspect in the May 6 shooting death in Streator has a new felony charge to handle.

A La Salle County grand jury convened Tuesday and indicted Malcolm J. Whitfield, 30, of Streator (also listed as a resident of DeKalb), with unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, a Class 3 felony carrying two to five years in prison.

While notable, Whitfield’s new charge is minor in light of murder and firearm charges stemming from the May 6 shooting that killed 35-year-old Shaquita M. Kelly and injured two others. Whitfield’s sentencing range could bring him up to 145 years in prison.

Whitfield will next appear Aug. 18 in La Salle County Circuit Court.

Also indicted Tuesday were:

Carl Witt, 60, of Somonauk (violation of the sex offender registry; unlawful presence in a school zone); David Gruenwald, 54, of La Salle (aggravated home repair fraud); Jacquie Katkus, 56, of Peru (unlawful use of a debit card); Candice Bonnell, 44, of Mendota (two counts of aggravated battery); Robert Lewis, 66, of LaMoille (unlawful possession of methamphetamine; possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver); Megan Sisk, 30, of Ottawa (two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance); Christopher Gliatta, 30, of Ottawa (unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver); Lane Stegman, 20, of Ottawa (domestic battery); Jeffery Scofield, 61, of Villa Park (two counts of aggravated DUI); Richard Lyons, 60, of La Salle (two counts of violating the sex offender registry); Bryan Dorenkamper, 30, of Streator (aggravated battery); Jason Pruitt, 51, of Streator (residential burglary); Nicole Finney, 38, of Streator (residential burglary); Heather Legner, 44, of Pontiac (residential burglary); Thomas Tschida, 53, of Ottawa (criminal damage to property); Shawna Jeanguenat, 33, of Ottawa (unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon); Anthony Romano-Boyd, 22, of Kankakee (retail theft); Regina Cook, 34, of Kankakee (retail theft); Justin Waterworth, 32, of Ottawa (unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon; reckless discharge of a firearm; unlawful possession of a controlled substance); Marisa Melendez, 28, of Ottawa (attempted theft; possession of burglary tools); Richard Young, 41, of La Salle (attempted theft; possession of burglary tools); Ricky Jenkins, 64 of La Salle (driving while revoked); Marcus Fuller, 23, of La Salle (aggravated battery; mob action); Ryan Lodrigue, 21, of Ottawa (aggravated battery; mob action).