The Champaign County Sherriff’s Office has been working to solve the murder of Holly Marie Cassano, ever since the 22-year-old woman was stabbed to death in her home near Mahomet in November of 2009. On Friday, investigators received a lead on the unresolved case through the help of a genetic genealogy company which then led to the arrest of Michael F.A. Henslick, 30, on Tuesday evening.
Community and law enforcement leaders in Champaign-Urbana hope they’ve successfully appealed to 11 more young people to turn their lives around. The CU Fresh Start Program held its second quarterly "Call-In" Thursday night, with hopes of deterring gun violence. The panel of those with a history of gun-related behaviors came face to face with family members of gun violence victims, like community leader Seon Willams. "When you act in an inhumane way, the suffering is just beginning," he said.
Community leaders in Champaign-Urbana have been working on the CU Fresh Start approach to gun violence for nearly a year. Thursday marked the program's 'Call-In', giving offenders with a background tied to gun crime a chance to connect to community resources and reform their lives. "We recognize that we can't arrest our way out of this problem," says Urbana Police Chief Pat Connolly.
Many have heard the name George Korchev since the suburban Chicago man died in a weekend shooting in the University of Illinois’ Campustown neighborhood. About 300 from the campus and community have now learned a bit about who he was, while honoring his memory on the Urbana campus quad Tuesday night. Speakers included friend and U of I student Erik Lasaine, who was injured in the shootings early Sunday morning on Green Street.
Three days after a part of a group had to be removed from the courthouse by Champaign County Sheriff's Deputies, Sheriff Dan Walsh has announced that no protests will be allowed inside the courthouse or sheriff's office. Rallies and similar events are still allowed on the courthouse plaza, as long they're held at least 10 feet from the front door.
