The Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office will seek the death penalty against Nicholas Sheley, an Illinois man awaiting trial in connection with the 2008 deaths of an Arkansas couple in Festus.
Sheley, 35, already serving life sentences for six first-degree murder convictions in Illinois, is being held in the Jefferson County Jail awaiting trial on two counts of first-degree murder, class A felonies, and two counts of armed criminal action, unclassified felonies.
He is accused of killing Thomas Estes, 55, and his wife, Jill Estes, 54, of Sherwood, Ark. Missouri law allows the death penalty, while Illinois does not.
Assistant prosecuting attorney Steve Jerrell filed legal notice Monday (June 8) seeking the death penalty. The Prosecuting Attorney’s Office would not comment on the case, a spokesman said today (June 12).
In the early morning of June 30, 2008, police were called to the Comfort Inn, 1303 Veterans Blvd., in Festus after a small dog was found with blood stains on its coat, according to the probable-cause statement.
Investigators discovered a lot of blood, an earring and two pairs of glasses on the business parking lot. Later in the morning, the bodies of the victims, both with blunt force trauma to the head, were discovered behind a business trash can at the Cwic Chips Phillips 66, 1245 American Legion Drive, in Festus.
Sheley was arrested July 1, 2008, in Illinois after customers in a Granite City tavern recognized him from news photos and contacted police, according to a July 10, 2008, Leader story.
He was taken into custody without incident.
Sheley is scheduled for arraignment 8 a.m. July 6 before 23rd Circuit Court Division 4 Judge Mark Stoll.