A federal jury has convicted a Danville, Illinois man of multiple offenses, including carjacking resulting in death and murder. Kevin Marshall, 34, was found guilty on August 7, for his involvement in the killing of Daniel Walter, a 28-year-old man from rural Indiana, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of Illinois. Marshall was also convicted of having methamphetamine with the intention to distribute, carrying firearms during a drug trafficking crime, and possessing firearms as a convicted felon.
During the trial, which spanned seven days, evidence was presented showing that on April 25, 2020, Marshall instructed Walter to exit a truck under the guise of wanting to talk. Once outside, Marshall fatally shot Walter and, with his girlfriend, attempted to flee in Walter's Ford F-150. Shell casings from the scene matched a Taurus 9mm handgun later found in Marshall's possession at the time of his arrest. In a breakdown that occurred, the Danville Police Department recovered the vehicle in Belvidere on April 29, 2020, after Marshall abandoned it.
Marshall's apprehension came about during a traffic stop on August 18, 2020, at Casey’s gas station in Danville. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Marshall possessed not only the Taurus 9mm handgun used in the murder but also a Colt .45, along with numerous methamphetamine pills. As law enforcement approached the vehicle, Marshall attempted to place all firearms and drugs at the feet of his girlfriend, who was in the backseat at the time, suggesting a ploy to shift blame onto her.
Further compounding his legal woes, while in pretrial custody, Marshall was shown to have manipulated his girlfriend into writing letters falsely claiming responsibility for the weapons and drugs and denying knowledge of Walter's murder. "Evidence of the attempted obstruction was presented to the jury during the trial, including through recorded calls where Marshall arranged to have the false letters sent to his attorneys," the U.S. Attorney's Office stated.
With his conviction, Kevin Marshall, who the U.S. Marshals Service has held since his arrest, faces the possibility of life imprisonment for the carjacking resulting in death and murder charges. His sentencing is scheduled for December 9, at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana, Illinois. The investigation was carried out collaboratively by several agencies including the Danville Police Department, the FBI Springfield Field Office, and other federal and state law enforcement entities.
.jpg){kind=link}