A Granite City man who claimed he fired in self-defense outside a Nameoki Road bar last fall has been sentenced to six years in prison for killing his 26-year-old victim. Nicklos D. Henderson, 22, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on July 29 and was sentenced on Oct. 14, closing out a case that began with gunfire outside Patrick's Bar just before 2 a.m. on Oct. 25, 2025.
Henderson shot and killed Jesus Escobedo, also of Granite City, outside the bar in the 2900 block of Nameoki Road, according to the Alton Telegraph. Police had reported that a disturbance broke out at the bar before Escobedo was struck by gunfire. Responding officers arrived at approximately 1:49 a.m., found Escobedo suffering from a gunshot wound, and he was taken for emergency treatment.
Escobedo was pronounced dead at 2:37 a.m. at Gateway Regional Medical Center, a 343-bed acute care hospital on Madison Avenue, and Madison County Coroner Nicholas P. Novacich confirmed his death came from gunshot injuries, per the same outlet's report. The hospital operates a 24-hour emergency department and behavioral health unit, according to Gateway Regional Medical Center.
From First-Degree Murder to a Lesser Plea
Henderson was initially charged with first-degree murder, a Class M felony, along with aggravated unlawful possession of weapons, a Class 4 felony, after claiming self-defense. Under a plea agreement, prosecutors reduced the murder count to second-degree murder, a Class 1 felony, and dropped the weapons charge entirely, the Telegraph reported.
Illinois recognizes the legal concept of imperfect self-defense, which applies when a defendant genuinely believed deadly force was necessary but that belief was not legally reasonable, according to DRD Law. Second-degree murder carries a statutory sentencing range of 4 to 20 years under Illinois law.
Why Six Years Could Mean Far Less Time Served
Henderson's six-year sentence lands near the statutory floor for the offense, but the real impact comes from how Illinois credits time served. Second-degree murder convictions fall under the state's 50% day-for-day good-conduct credit tier, meaning defendants typically serve about half of their ordered sentence, DRD Law explains. That stands in sharp contrast to first-degree murder, which requires serving the entire sentence with no such credit, so Henderson's six years will likely translate to roughly three years of actual incarceration, minus any credit for time already served.
At the time of the shooting, Henderson was carrying a 10mm handgun. He held a valid Firearm Owner's Identification card but did not have a concealed carry permit, the Telegraph reported. That distinction carries legal weight in Illinois: a FOID card and a Concealed Carry License are separate credentials, and a CCL is required under state law to carry a loaded, concealed firearm in public, according to the Illinois State Police. Obtaining a CCL requires 16 hours of state-certified training.
Illinois law goes further still when it comes to bars. The state's Firearm Concealed Carry Act prohibits carrying a concealed firearm inside or on the grounds of any establishment that draws more than half its gross receipts from alcohol sales, according to the Illinois statute cited by FindLaw.
Jesus Escobedo's Funeral Arrangements
Escobedo's funeral arrangements were handled by Kurrus Funeral Home in Belleville.
Henderson's sentence closes the criminal case nearly a year after the shooting first drew police to the bar on Nameoki Road.
