|
|
|
The Saline County Grand Jury indicted two men in separate high-profile cases Monday.
Charles Rayburn Ryan, 41, 1304 W. Barnett St., Harrisburg, was indicted on two counts of first degree murder in connection with the Dec. 2011 stabbing death of his stepfather, Carl L. Crouch, 59, of Harrisburg. Jeffery Thomas Cowsert, 44, 1000 S. Ledford St., Harrisburg, was also indicted on one count of making a terrorist threat and one count of disorderly conduct.
A bill of information states Ryan is believed to have choked and stabbed Crouch in the neck with a knife, causing his death. The second states Ryan is believed to have choked and stabbed Crouch knowing such acts created a strong probability of death or great bodily harm to Crouch, thereby causing Crouch's death.
According to court documents, Illinois State Police investigator Bryan Harms arrested Ryan 7:45 a.m. Dec. 24 on a charge of murder following a 4 a.m. interview.
Cowsert, who was employed as a janitor at Harrisburg Middle School, was arrested Jan. 5 following an interview by officers Todd Cavender and Curt Hustedde.
According to court documents, Unit 3 Superintendent Dennis Smith called police after hearing from other janitors that Cowsert had been making threats against the school. Police interviews of four other janitors revealed Cowsert had said he planned to shoot others and then himself if he was not promoted to head janitor. Apparently he also talked about sabotaging the school's heating and cooling system in such a way that only he could fix it.
Indictments by the grand jury supersede any previous charges stemming from these incidents.
The Saline County Grand Jury indicted two men in separate high-profile cases Monday.
Charles Rayburn Ryan, 41, 1304 W. Barnett St., Harrisburg, was indicted on two counts of first degree murder in connection with the Dec. 2011 stabbing death of his stepfather, Carl L. Crouch, 59, of Harrisburg. Jeffery Thomas Cowsert, 44, 1000 S. Ledford St., Harrisburg, was also indicted on one count of making a terrorist threat and one count of disorderly conduct.
A bill of information states Ryan is believed to have choked and stabbed Crouch in the neck with a knife, causing his death. The second states Ryan is believed to have choked and stabbed Crouch knowing such acts created a strong probability of death or great bodily harm to Crouch, thereby causing Crouch's death.
According to court documents, Illinois State Police investigator Bryan Harms arrested Ryan 7:45 a.m. Dec. 24 on a charge of murder following a 4 a.m. interview.
Cowsert, who was employed as a janitor at Harrisburg Middle School, was arrested Jan. 5 following an interview by officers Todd Cavender and Curt Hustedde.
According to court documents, Unit 3 Superintendent Dennis Smith called police after hearing from other janitors that Cowsert had been making threats against the school. Police interviews of four other janitors revealed Cowsert had said he planned to shoot others and then himself if he was not promoted to head janitor. Apparently he also talked about sabotaging the school's heating and cooling system in such a way that only he could fix it.
Indictments by the grand jury supersede any previous charges stemming from these incidents.
