Streator man indicted on murder charge in May 6 shooting death

A Streator man was indicted Tuesday on a murder charge and for firing shots that hit two others on May 6 in Streator.

Malcolm J. Whitfield, 29, of Streator (also listed as a resident of DeKalb), was indicted Tuesday in La Salle County Circuit Court on a charge of first-degree murder plus additional counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm and aggravated battery of a firearm. He already was in custody for allegedly firing a May 6 shot that missed a man, and now is charged for firing another shot that took a woman’s life.

Soon after a La Salle County grand jury approved the murder charge, the La Salle County Circuit Clerk disclosed new filings that allege Whitfield shot and killed 35-year-old Shaquita M. Kelly with a pistol.

If convicted of murder, Whitfield faces a mandatory 20 to 60 years in prison.

He also faces lesser, but still serious, charges of aggravated discharge of a firearm and aggravated battery with a firearm, all for shots that struck Kelly and two others, Emmett J. Williams (hit in the foot) and Brianna D. Anderson (struck in the leg).

A full presentation of Whitfield’s sentencing range – he faces a total of nine felony counts – comes Friday when he appears before Chief Judge H. Chris Ryan Jr.

Whitfield remains held on $1 million bail in La Salle County Jail.

There were two shootings May 6 at separate locations in Streator. In the first, no one was struck or injured. During the second, reported in the 100 block of West Hickory Street, three people were struck.

Three victims were taken to OSF Center for Health-Streator for initial treatment. Two were then transferred to OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria. The 35-year-old died from her injuries during surgery.

Authorities said they identified people of interest who fled the area. Days later, Whitfield and 36-year-old Rachael N. Carter, of Streator, were apprehended in Memphis, Tennessee, and later extradited to La Salle County.

Carter is charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon (three to seven years in prison) plus one count of preventing the apprehension of a fugitive, a Class 4 felony carrying one to three years in prison.