Sydney Mays guilty in 2018 Bloomington triple murder

Posted on February 3, 2021
Sydney Mays Jr. of Bloomington, arrives in the courtroom at the Law and Justice Cener Monday, Jan. 25, 2021, as he faces charges that he murdered Nate Pena, Corey Jackson and Juan Carlos Perez and injured Pena’s minor son, June 18, 2018. (David Proeber/Pantagraph)

 

By HOI ABC

BLOOMINGTON – A McLean County Judge ruled that Sydney Mays is guilty of shooting and killing three people and seriously injuring a child at a Bloomington apartment in June 2018.

Judge Casey Costigan said Mays was guilty on every count of the 11 charges filed, according to our news partner HOI ABC.

Sydney Mays, 24, was facing first degree murder, attempted murder, and aggravated battery charges. Some of the charges carry life sentences. Prosecutors alleged that on June 18, 2018 at 311 Riley Drive, Mays shot and killed Nathaniel Pena to steal money and drugs, jealous of Pena’s success as a drug dealer.

In the process, they said he also shot and killed Pena’s friend, Corey Jackson, and Pena’s neighbor, Juan Carlos Perez-Macedo. The state also alleged Mays was the one who shot Pena’s four-year-old son who can no longer walk.

In closing arguments on Monday, Assistant State’s Attorney Erika Reynolds said evidence they presented proved Mays was the only person who could be the shooter. Defense Attorney Mike Clancy said the state was reaching, just trying to identify someone as the shooter.

Clancy went on to say that with a lack of eyewitnesses, forensics evidence, or murder weapon, anyone could have been the killer.

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