PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — A North Valley woman on Thursday was ordered held in custody pending the outcome of murder charges filed this week.
TNashia Wash, 18, who lives in the 100 block of Northeast Rock Island Avenue, got emotional several times during the Thursday afternoon hearing in Peoria County Circuit Court and tried to talk several times but was stopped by her attorney, Kevin Lowe of the Public Defender’s Office.
Wash faces one count of first-degree murder in connection with the Monday morning death of Roderick Richardson, 30, who was found inside a house in the 1200 block of North Ellis Street.
Judge Sean Donahue sided with prosecutors who wanted to hold her at the Peoria County Jail but only partially. The judge did find that the nature of the charges and her alleged conduct posed a danger to the community.
Donahue, however, did not find the woman was a flight risk, noting she had no criminal record and that she had a young child.
Richardson’s death was the city’s 23rd homicide of the year.
A few new details came out regarding the fatal shooting. Wash and Richardson, as reported earlier, had been in some type of a relationship and had gotten into a fight that morning. She allegedly told police Richardson threatened to shoot her and himself, according to prosecutors.
According to court records, Richardson grabbed her cell phone and she managed to wrest the gun away from him. At some point, according to court records, she said she felt threatened by him because he was coming towards her and she opened fire.
Lowe said during the Thursday afternoon pretrial detention hearing that based upon his initial reading of the police reports, there was some indications of a possible self-defense claim.
An autopsy indicated Richardson was shot several times and not at close range including two shots to the front of his body and then four more to his back.
It was also noted that she allegedly took pictures of Richardson while he was lying on the floor and then sent them to her family, with the message that he was “hitting her.”
But prosecutor Terry Muench said during Thursday’s hearing that when Wash was taken to the Peoria County Jail and photographed, there were no outward signs of injury.
Wash will next appear in court on Nov. 9 for a preliminary hearing though it is likely a grand jury will hear the case before then. If convicted, she faces at least 45 years and possibly up to life in prison.
