A Danville, Illinois man, Marcus "Slim" McKinney, 49, has been convicted on a slew of federal drug charges, including those leading to drug-induced homicide. The verdict came down November 19 from a federal jury, which found McKinney guilty across eight counts. These include conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of significant amounts of methamphetamine, among other charges.
During his federal trial, as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, evidence presented showed that McKinney continued to largely distribute drugs after his release on home confinement by the federal Bureau of Prisons back on April 6, 2023. Notably, the jury also found that McKinney's actions directly led to serious bodily injury to one woman and the fatal overdose of Maggie Avelar.
The trial testimony further revealed that McKinney not only falsely informed a woman that a substance contained only cocaine, but he also provided her with an opioid, which resulted in an overdose that would have been fatal had it not been for the intervention of emergency services. In addition, three other individuals overdosed on drugs distributed by McKinney during that same April weekend, including the death of Christopher "RS" Fields.
McKinney's record of drug distribution didn't falter upon moving to 111 Kentucky Avenue, where, on August 19, 2023, he handed out what he referred to as a "Hot Shot" – a deadly methamphetamine and fentanyl concoction – to Avelar. The next day, he and his brother attempted to deceive the Danville Police about her death, a fact the jury quickly saw through. To further complicate matters, while charges were pending in January 2025, McKinney was found to have attempted to tamper with witnesses by encouraging a potential witness to propagate falsehoods regarding the veracity of other testimonies.
Currently held by the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest on June 26, 2024, McKinney faces mandatory life imprisonment at his sentencing next year, a statutory penalty for his crimes, which include drug distribution resulting in death. The extensive investigation into McKinney's activities was carried out by various authorities, including the Danville Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration, leading up to the assistance provided by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eugene L. Miller and Timothy J. Sullivan during the trial phase.
