Man wanted for dismembering body in Illinois caught in Columbia
Columbia police arrested a man wanted in connection with a dismembered body investigation in Illinois Monday night.
Officers with the Street Crimes Unit went to the Welcome Inn to look for Donte Meeks, who was wanted by police in Champaign, Illinois. At one point, Meeks allegedly tried to run away, but was caught a short time later. Officers arrested Meeks on suspicion of resisting arrest, as well as an out-of-state hold order.
On April 25, authorities in Champaign, Illinois issued an arrest warrant for Meeks, as well as five other people, in connection with the death of Ashley Gibson. The warrants are for dismembering a human body, the only charges filed in Gibson’s death so far.
Gibson disappeared April 17 in Champaign; two days later, police started an investigation into Gibson’s disappearance. On April 20, investigators found evidence Gibson was dead, and had been dismembered. Four days later, human remains were found at Clinton Lake, west of Champaign, which were identified as being Gibson. Final results from an autopsy are pending, though initial results indicate there was no evidence of fatal injuries prior to death.
The other suspects in the case, beside Meeks, have been identified as Davion Hedrick, Randale Banks, Reginald Logan, Javon Tate, and Deunadrea Weatherspoon, all from Champaign.
