10/7/2021- 9:25 p.m.
ILLINOIS STATE POLICE INVESTIGATION LEADS TO MURDER CHARGES IN EDGEWOOD HOMICIDE
EDGEWOOD, IL – On Oct. 4, 2021, the Office of Clay County States Attorney Andrew T. Koester charged, Walter L. West, a 30-year-old male of Edgewood, Illinois and Christopher B. Gallatin, a 27-year-old male of Centralia, Illinois with one count each of First-Degree Murder (Accountability) (Class M Criminal Felony), First Degree Murder (Class M Criminal Felony); and Residential Burglary (Class 1 Criminal Felony).
On October 6, 2021, the Clay County State’s Attorney charged Jamie L. Charlton, a 39-year-old male of Salem, Illinois with First Degree Murder (Accountability) (Class M Criminal Felony), First Degree Murder (Class M Criminal Felony), and Residential Burglary (Accountability) (Class 1 Criminal Felony).
West, Gallatin, and Charlton have been charged with first-degree murder and residential burglary, alleging that they either committed the acts or acted as accomplices in the residential burglary and killing of Roger Courson.
These charges resulted from an incident that occurred on Sept. 25, 2021, when Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Zone 8 officials were requested by the Clay County Sheriff’s Department to assist with a death investigation and suspected home invasion.
Roger Courson, an 80-year-old male, was found deceased in his home near Edgewood Sunday, September 26, 2021.
Following Crime Stoppers tips provided by the public to the Clay County Sheriff’s Department and Effingham City Police Department, suspects were developed in this case.
Based on information gathered during the investigation, West and Gallatin were taken into custody on September 30, 2021, and a Clay County Judge found probable cause to detain them on October 1, 2021. Charlton was taken into custody on October 6, 2021.
Bond on the above charges against West and Gallatin were set at $2,500,000, 10% to apply each. Bond on the charges against Charlton will be set at his first appearance on October 8, 2021.
West, Gallatin, and Charlton remain in custody at the Clay County Jail. ISP DCI Zone 8 was assisted by the Clay and Marion County Sheriff’s Departments, Centralia Police Department and the Clay County State’s Attorney’s Office.
No further information will be disseminated at this time.
All subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
