MARSEILLES – Marseilles police detective Jake Callahan, the son of Grundy County Coroner John Callahan, was honored for his role in pursuing justice for a baby that was beaten to death in June.

At Wednesday’s Marseilles City Council meeting members of Marseilles Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5506 presented Callahan with a public safety award from the national VFW.

Callahan received the award
with a handshake from VFW Cmdr. Scott Buennemeyer and a hug from Marseilles Police Chief Jim Hovious, while audience members applauded.

“As citizens of this town we should be grateful we have such a thorough investigator and someone as committed to public safety as Detective Callahan,” Buennemeyer said.

He said it had been Hovious who had initiated the award process.

Callahan had been with the department full time for more than nine years when he became a detective last year.

Less than a week later, the shocking child homicide took place in a Marseilles apartment.

“It was a horrible case,” Hovious said.

The infant suffered five blows to its head and eight to the torso, with the fatal blow fracturing the back of the child’s skull.

Hovious praised Callahan for his professional approach to the case.

“He was dedicated, focused,” said Hovious, a 29-year veteran of the city’s police department. “And even as much as I like to think I see all the angles, there a lot of things where Jake said ‘We should do this’ that I didn’t even think of. He left no stone unturned. From that, I’m happy to say, it resulted in a conviction.”

After pleading guilty on Feb. 23, Jeffrey L. Price, a man with a history of anger issues and criminal activity, was sentenced to 35 years in prison by Chief Judge H.Chris Ryan Jr. of the circuit court.

“It was a very trying case emotionally and challenging all the way around,” Callahan said. “But my goal was to make sure the child who died got justice – if there is justice for such an act.”

Coroner Callahan also served with the Marseilles Police Department. He was a patrolman for two years after seven years as a La Salle County Sheriff’s deputy.