The Illinois State Police today confirmed that Jacksonville resident Benchy Couloute has been arrested in connection to a murder last month in Beardstown, IL.
At 7:45 PM on March 24, Beardstown Police and other emergency services responded to reports of an unresponsive male. On arrival, they found 37-year-old Junior Ngoyi Kalonji, a Beardstown resident, dead. At the time the incident was first reported, BPD and the Cass County Sheriff’s Office made no statement describing Kalonji’s condition at the scene, but immediately contacted ISP’s Division of Criminal Investigation to assist in a homicide investigation. Upon releasing Kalonji’s identity, Cass County Coroner Devron Ohrn apparently also declined to declare a cause of death.
“After a thorough investigation, the case was presented to the Cass County State’s Attorney’s Office,” the ISP’s Public Information Office told the press, “and an arrest warrant was issued for Couloute.”
In the midst of the investigation it was discovered that Couloute had fled to the state of Indiana; Indiana State Police cooperated with Illinois State Police special agents to locate and arrest Couloute.
At this time, Couloute is being held at the Marion County Sheriff’s Office in Indiana, pending extradition. He faces a charge of First Degree Murder.
