A teenager accused of stabbing a 78-year-old man to death while dressed as a clown was charged with murder Thursday, and the prosecutor wants to try him as an adult, Illinois officials said.
John Wesley Allen was killed Monday in East St. Louis. He “was waiting at a bus stop when he was stabbed in a random attack by a suspect wearing a clown outfit,” Illinois State Police said.
The 15-year-old suspect, who was arrested after the stabbing, was charged Thursday with a count of first-degree murder, state police said in a statement.
The teenager had “the intent to kill or do great bodily harm” to Allen, who was stabbed “about the body with a knife, thereby causing” his death, according to a court filing by St. Clair County Assistant State’s Attorney Derek Smith.
The state’s attorney is seeking to prosecute the teen as an adult on a first-degree murder charge, according to the court document.
East St. Louis police were called for a report of a body in a roadway around 10 p.m. Monday and found Allen, of Jennings, Missouri, dead, state police said.
The 15-year-old was located at a residence and arrested Monday, state police said.
State police have said that video of the suspect wearing a clown costume is circulating and that they are seeking to obtain all video in the case.
Doorbell camera video obtained by NBC affiliate KSDK of St. Louis showed a person whose face was partly covered looking into the camera and saying, “I have a gift for you.” Neighbors told the station they saw a person going door to door with a large knife Monday night.
It was not immediately clear Thursday whether the teenager, who remained in custody Thursday, had a defense lawyer to speak on his behalf.
East St. Louis is across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Missouri.
