PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — A Central Peoria man was indicted Tuesday by a Peoria County grand jury in connection with a fatal shooting at a gas station.
Amorta Nelson, 25, faces charges of first-degree murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm in connection with the Sept. 18 death of Antonio Hardy, 33, who was shot just after 8:20 p.m. while he was getting gas near the intersection of North Sheridan Road and McClure Avenue.
He faces at least 45 years and possibly up to life in prison if convicted. He will next appear in court on Nov. 9 to be arraigned on the charges. Previously, a judge had ordered he be held pending the outcome of his case.
Officers were called the 2400 block of Sheridan after the ShotSpotter gunfire detection system indicated that nine rounds were fired. When they arrived, they found a man, later identified as Hardy, with a gunshot wound.
Detectives with the Peoria Police Department watched surveillance footage from the gas station and saw Hardy at the pumps. They also saw another person, allegedly Nelson, get out of another vehicle, walk over to Hardy and start to shoot.
When he was questioned by detectives, Nelson allegedly admitted to being at the gas station but not being the shooter.
