| Belleville News-Democrat (Belleville, Ill.) Jul. 2--Missouri law enforcement officials have begun discussing whether to seek the death penalty for Nicholas T. Sheley, 28, who was captured Tuesday night outside a Granite City bar after the FBI linked him to eight killings. SAVE MONEY ON TRAVEL DEALS Also, Sheley was transferred from the Granite City Jail to the Madison County Jail this morning. Festus, Mo., Police Chief Tim Lewis today said he has had discussions with the prosecuting attorney in Jefferson County, Mo., about seeking the death penalty for Sheley. Lewis said he's "well aware" that the death penalty is allowed in Missouri, but not Illinois. Sheley may have killed six people in Illinois, which has a moratorium on the death penalty. He is accused of killing two people in Missouri, which does put convicts to death. "We want justice. This was a brutal homicide", Lewis said. "We know he's probably never going to see the light of day, but we are going to apply for the death penalty." Lewis said Jefferson County prosecutors are open to seeking the death penalty, but they first want to see the police reports. Jefferson County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Steven Jerrell said, "We have to evaluate the case and get all the facts, then we'll make our decision." Wearing an orange jumpsuit, handcuffs, shackles and a haggard look, Sheley did not respond to questions from reporters as he entered a police car for the trip this morning from Granite City to Edwardsville. At a court appearance this afternoon via video feed from the county jail, Madison County Circuit Judge Edward Ferguson read to Sheley a first-degree murder charge that has been filed against him in Knox County. Ferguson ordered that Sheley be held at the Madison County Jail until Knox County authorities picked him up for prosecution there. "Do you understand that, Mr. Sheley?" Ferguson asked. "Yes, sir", Sheley answered. Sheley looke down at times and, at one point, took a deep breath. Ferguson told Sheley his bail on the Knox County charge had been set at $1 million, and asked him if he could post the required 10 percent in cash, $100,000, for his release on bond. "No, sir", Sheley answered. The FBI has linked Sheley to the killings of two people in Festus, Mo., and six people in Illinois. The string of killings began with the beating death of 93-year-old Russell Reed, a Sterling man whose body was found stuffed in the trunk of a car Thursday. Seven of the dead were found Monday: A child and three adults were discovered in an apartment in Rock Falls, in northwestern Illinois. They were identified by Whiteside County Coroner Joe McDonald as Kilynna Blake, 20, and Dayan Blake, 2, both of Cedar City, Utah, and Kenneth Ulve Jr., 25, and Brock Branson, 29, both of Rock Falls. All died from having their heads bludgeoned. Also Monday, 65-year-old Ronald Randall's body was found near a trash bin behind a grocery store in Galesburg and an Arkansas couple was found behind a gas station in Festus, Mo. Victims' vehicles were taken after each of those killings. Patrons and bartenders at Bindy's, 3705 Nameoki Road near the Granite City Kmart, recognized Sheley from newscasts when he came in, asked for a lighter, tried to use the phone, had a glass of water and was asked to smoke outside. He was in the bar about 10 minutes, witnesses said. Bar occupants called police, and a patron went outside to flag down a patrol car. Within minutes, police and FBI agents swarmed the bar parking lot. Sheley has been formally charged with the murder of Randall, in Knox County. Madison County Assistant State's Attorney John Fischer told Ferguson that Whiteside County prosecutors also have filed charges against Sheley, but they've agreed to let Knox County take Sheley first. In Whiteside County, Sheley has been charged with the murder of Reed. Charges have not yet been filed against Sheley in Missouri, and Lewis said there's no hurry to do so. "There's not any pressure for us to do something. He's already in custody and he's not going anywhere", Lewis said. Belleville criminal defense attorney Corey Easton, who is certified to handle Illinois death penalty cases, doesn't know all the details of the case, but said prosecutors likely are thinking death penalty because of the number of victims. "When there is death penalty in the air, a defense lawyer has to start today thinking about the mitigation case and saving this guy's life", Easton said. Prosecutors in Missouri and Illinois may also work out a deal to send Sheley to Missouri to face murder charges there first. "They don't have a moratorium over there", Easton said. Sheley's defense lawyer will likely seek a psychiatric evaluation right away, Easton said. For more on this story, read the News-Democrat on Thursday or go to www.bnd.com.
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