A 31-year-old Georgetown man is now facing first-degree murder charges in the death of another man from that city. Gregory A. Johnson was formally charged today (Friday) with three counts of first-degree murder. The charges stem from the death of 21-year-old Timothy Ellis, whose body was found Thursday afternoon. Georgetown Police Chief Whitney Renaker says Johnson gave police a statement regarding the killing and told them where they could find Ellis’ body. Ellis had been reported missing earlier in the week.
Circuit Judge Mark Goodwin set bond at $5-million dollars for Johnson after the defendant pleaded not guilty. The arraignment occurred over a video link between the courthouse and the Public Safety Building.
Vermilion County Coroner Jane McFadden released the identity of the victim today but said no other information is being released. She says the case remains under investigation by her office and the Georgetown Police Department.
Chief Renaker says the original missing persons report about Ellis raised suspicions. He says officers interviewed a person of interest in the case who was later arrested on unrelated charges. It was when police interviewed that man – Gregory Johnson – a second time is when police say he gave officers a statement about the death and told them where they could find the body, according to police. Officers then found Ellis’ body in the 200 block of West 15th Street in Georgetown Thursday afternoon (October 19th, 2017).
Vermilion County Sheriff’s Investigators and an Illinois State Police Crime Scene unit assisted Georgetown Police and the Coroner’s Office at the scene on Thursday.
