The Sangamon County State’s Attorney has announced charges against 24 alleged gang members tied to six murders, including the killing of a 9-year old boy last year.
A triple homicide on Oct. 9, 2025, killed Cash Russell, 9, Mhynesha Day, 22, and Devione Brady, 21, in the 3000 block of Hoover Avenue in an unincorporated area of Sangamon County.
District 10 Sangamon County Board member Reggie Guyton represents the Cabbage Patch neighborhood, where the killings occurred.
“I’m both relieved that there is justice happening, but I’m also saddened because there’s just so many young people that are caught up in situations and they don’t realize how out of control it is,” Guyton said.
“It saddens me because families are being broken apart, not even just through death, but in punishment,” he said.
JoAnn Johnson, a co-chair of the Massey Commission and retired Illinois State Police trooper, said in response to the announcement of the indictments and arrests, “If any of these men are responsible for that home invasion and for the deaths of those people, then thank goodness they’ve been apprehended.”
Alleged members of two rival gangs in Springfield – Shoot Quick Avoid Death (SQAD) and Boss Playas (BP) – face charges for crimes that happened between August 2024 and September 2026.
The defendants are all male with 11 individuals alleged to be members of SQAD, and 13 people allegedly affiliated with BP. The youngest person charged is 16 years old, the oldest 29 years old, and others range in age from 18 to 25 years old.
Their alleged crimes include shootings between rival gangs that resulted in the death of gang members and innocent bystanders, owning and trading firearms including machine guns, and the possession of illegal drugs, according to a press release from Sangamon County State’s Attorney John C. Milhiser.
In addition to the triple homicide, several other killings are allegedly linked to the activity of those indicted, according to the State’s Attorney.
Two of the homicides happened in Springfield: Telley Palmer, 29, on Sept. 29, 2024, and Barrion Sanders, 20, on Jan. 8 of this year.
On Jan. 4, 2025, Lajarvious Smith, 31, was killed in the 2800 block of Carpenter Street in Grandview, just outside of Springfield city limits, for being mistaken as a rival gang member.
Every defendant was charged with organized violent gang activity under the Illinois Street Gang and Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Law (RICO), which carries up to 30 years sentencing. If they were involved in a murder, they can face up to a life sentence, according to the statement from Milhiser’s office.
Additional charges were added to 15 defendants.
All defendants have been placed in custody, according to a statement issued by the Springfield Police Department the afternoon of Sept. 22. At the time the charges were announced, 12 defendants were already in custody for other state criminal cases or serving a sentence in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
The Springfield Police Department, the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department and the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office worked together in the investigation to bring forth the charges, according to a statement from Milhiser.
In a press release, Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher said, “Violent crime has a lasting impact on our community and on the families who have been affected by these tragic acts. Public safety is always a top priority for our administration, and I want to thank the Springfield Police Department and our law enforcement partners for the time and resources they have dedicated to these investigations. We will continue working together to address violence and do everything we can to keep Springfield residents safe.”
