DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - Zachary Pherigo has been charged with the Saturday morning murder of 2-year-old Justin Lee Murphy Jr.
Decatur Police Department were called to an apartment on East Wellington Way Saturday morning around 8:40 a.m. When they arrived they found Murphy with a gunshot wound. The toddler was taken to Decatur Memorial Hospital. The coroner says the boy died at the hospital around 9:35 a.m. of a gunshot wound to the torso.
During the investigation, police searched Pherigo, with officers finding a spent .45 shell casing in his pants pocket. Pherigo was then taken into custody. During a Mirandized interview, Decatur police say Pherigo told detectives that he found a handgun lying on the ground behind a strip mall on North Woodford on October 13, and that he took the gun to his home.
According to sworn statements, Decatur police officers say that Pherigo reported playing "cops and robbers" with Justin, during which he retrieved the gun, took Justin to the ground, pointed the gun at Justin's right side, and told him "don't move." Decatur police also say that Pherigo admitted to pulling the trigger, not knowing the gun was loaded, resulting in Justin being shot.
Police say a subsequent search of the residence resulted in the discovery of a .45 caliber hand gun.
Macon County State's Attorney says Pherigo, 17, made his first court appearance Monday and is being charged as an adult.
He is charged with 1st degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, aggravated discharge of a weapon and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.
Pherigo is being held in Peoria Juvenile Detention Center on a $500,000 bond. His preliminary hearing is set for Oct. 25.
