Man Convicted in 2021 Hammond Murder
Wednesday, 18 January 2023
One of the men charged in the killing of a Hammond man in January 2021 has been found guilty of First Degree Murder, Illinois State Police announced Tuesday.
A Piatt County judge found Jerome Schmidt, 19, of Springfield guilty following a bench trial that began January 9. Schmidt is scheduled for sentencing February 23, according to court records.
Schmidt, along with Blayton Cota of Granite City and another juvenile, was charged with murdering Michael Brown, 64, during a burglary.
Cota is scheduled for a status hearing in the case Monday.
