Waterloo resident charged in Red Bud man's death

A 22-year-old Waterloo resident, Kodi A. Lafore, has been formally charged with involuntary manslaughter after the fatal stabbing of 36-year-old Adam J. Sesto.

Sesto, of Red Bud, died at Red Bud Regional Hospital on Jan. 6 after being transported to the hospital by a witness at the scene of an altercation - that reportedly occurred shortly before 11 p.m. - near the intersection of Huntfield Road and Blackjack Road in rural Red Bud.

Sesto later succumbed to his injuries sustained by a knife wound.

According to the charging document, released by Randolph County State's Attorney Jeremy Walker, Lafore "without legal justification, performed an act likely to cause great bodily harm or death in that the defendant pulled a knife near the upper torso of Adam J. Sesto in a reckless manner, thereby unintentionally killing Adam J. Sesto."

An autopsy of Sesto was performed on Jan. 7. Lafore's bond has been set at $50,000 (with 10 percent applied) and he has a first appearance scheduled for Tuesday, unless he posts bond overnight.

"We have been working this case almost non-stop since Saturday night," Walker said in a Monday news release. "All witnesses to the events of January 6 have been interviewed, some multiple times.

"At this time, we feel this is the most appropriate charge resulting from the events of that evening. Charges can always be enhanced at a later date, if appropriate, or reduced if appropriate."

Walker stated that information gathered from cell phones, social media accounts, witness statements and the pathologist conducting the autopsy factored into his decision.

"We want to remind people cases are not tried on Facebook or other social media sites and what happened the night of January 6 will ultimately be revealed in a court of law, at the appropriate time," he said. "Therefore, no additional details will be released as it relates to this incident to protect the right of the defendant to a fair trial."

Involuntary manslaughter is a Class 3 felony with a punishment range of two to five years in prison, a one-year mandatory supervised release and a $25,000 fine if convicted. The offense is probation-eligible.