A 21-year-old Peoria man has been sentenced to a total of 80 years in prison for a 2022 shooting that took the life of a 15-year-old boy.
Erick Jackson was convicted in September of first-degree murder in the death of Merian Smith, who died after suffering a gunshot wound to the head. The same Peoria County Court jury also convicted Jackson of aggravated battery with a firearm in the same incident that injured another man.
Peoria County Judge Paul Bauer sentenced Jackson to 70 years for the murder and 10 years on the aggravated battery charge. Jackson is required to serve 100% of the murder sentence.
The incident happened in November 2022 near the former Quest Charter Academy. Officers responded to the scene following a ShotSpotter alert of 21 rounds fired.
Smith was found with his fatal injury in the backyard of a nearby residence. According to the Peoria County State’s Attorney’s Office, surveillance video showed three men fleeing the scene. One set of fingerprints taken from a garage touched by the assailants as they fled matched Jackson’s prints, said prosecutors.
A search of Jackson’s home found a gun, and testing confirmed shell casings recovered at the scene were fired from that weapon.
Prosecutors requested a lengthy prison sentence, noting the shooting occurred in broad daylight shortly after school was dismissed.
