Clay County State’s Attorney Andrew Koester says an 80-year-old rural Edgewood man found dead in his home on September 26th died as a result of strangulation.
Roger Courson was found deceased by family members in his home the next day during a regular Sunday visit.
Koester on Monday formally charged 27-year-old Christopher Gallatin of Centralia and 30-year-old Walter West of Edgewood with two counts of murder and a single county of residential burglary in connection with the incident. Bond was set at $2.5-million apiece. West had a public defender appointed. A hearing is set for Wednesday on the status of counsel for Gallatin.
Koester says investigators do not believe any weapons were involved in the death.
Koester says a total of 20 firearms, a safe and TV were taken from the home.
The Illinois Department of Criminal Investigation is coordinating the on-going investigation with assistance from the Clay and Marion County Sheriff’s Department and Centralia Police. A tip to the Effingham Crime Stoppers helped lead to the police to the two men.
