A Pekin man charged with killing two of his friends will stay in custody at least until a mental fitness evaluation is completed.
Memphis S. Rue, 21, faces two counts of first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of Chase Rhodes and Dawson Reese early Thursday morning at a South Pekin residence. The two victims also were 21.
Rue appeared Tuesday afternoon by video conferencing from the county jail during a four-minute hearing before Illinois Circuit Judge Chris Doscotch held at the Tazewell County Courthouse in Pekin.
A corrections officer physically assisted Rue in the conference room, holding what looked to be a tissue or handkerchief to his face attempting to control an apparent nosebleed.
Tazewell County State’s Attorney Mike Johnson’s office had filed a petition to have Rue detained until trial, asserting Rue presents “a real and present threat” to the community. Defense attorneys Rob Hanauer and Mike Vespa represented Rue during Tuesday’s hearing.
Hanauer told Doscotch his client would consent to detention “without prejudice,” while they reserved the right to seek his release at a future date. Assistant state’s attorney Cassandra Mullikin said prosecutors were “agreeable” to the defense’s request for the fitness assessment.
No additional details about the incident were discussed during Tuesday’s hearing. According to court documents, the three men were together early Thursday morning in the basement of a home in the 11300 block of Illinois Route 29.
David Reese, Dawson Reece’s father, told deputies from the Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office that he fell asleep on a living room couch before waking up to the sound of several gunshots and Rue yelling, “They’re dead! They’re dead!.”
Prosecutors say the elder Reese then held Rue at gunpoint in the kitchen of the home until law enforcement arrived, and the suspect was taken into custody without further incident.
Rue’s next court appearance will be for a preliminary hearing on May 22. Doscotch said the court will review his continued pretrial detention at each hearing as the case continues.
