Saline County man found guilty of murder, among other convictions
On May 29, a Saline County jury found James E. Houston, 34, of Harrisburg, guilty of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated domestic battery, aggravated battery of a child, endangering the life or health of a child and criminal damage to property, according to a press release from the State's Attorney of Saline County Michael Henshaw.
Convictions arose after an incident in which it was alleged Houston shoved and grabbed his former girlfriend, Amber F. Akins, around the throat and subsequently pressed a pillow on the back of her head, forcing her face down onto a bed and strangling her in her Eldorado apartment.
The child endangerment conviction arose out of an indigence in which it was alleged that, earlier that same day, Houston caused bodily harm to Akins' 2-year-old child by injuring the child about the face, head and body. Joseph Hunt of Eldorado, a neighbor of Akins, ultimately came to assist Akins and her child.
The investigation of Houston's case was led by Investigators Donna Hesterly and Michelle Dirden of the Illinois Department of Child and Family Services and Officer Justin McKinney of the Eldorado Police Department. Assistant State's Attorney Jayson M. Clark handled the prosecution of the case, including trying the case before the jury last week. He was assisted in that jury trial by Saline County Assistant State's Attorney Letitia Wiggins.