Man pleads not guilty in basketball player's murder case

PEORIA (25News Now) – A man accused of murdering a college basketball player and Peoria High School standout has pleaded not guilty.

Korion Hopkins, 18, is accused of shooting and killing Mikequese Taylor on April 30.

At a detention hearing in July, a witness claimed he saw Taylor being killed by two men as he washed his car in front of a house near the corner of Forrest Hill and Knoxville Avenue.

Prosecutors said that using surveillance video, investigators were able to identify the suspects' vehicle and that Carpenter was in possession of that vehicle at the time of the shooting.

Prosecutors said additional surveillance video and cellphone records showed Hopkins and Carpenter were traveling together at the time.

Authorities said they found a video on Hopkins' phone showing him wearing a black hoodie, white T-shirt and gray face mask, matching the description of one of the suspects.

It was also revealed that Taylor's car had been shot at before and that he was a member of a group called the “Jump Out Boys.”

Hopkins is also awaiting trial for his alleged involvement in a shooting at an after-prom party in April at the Valley Lakes Center in Chillicothe. The shooting left one person critically injured.

Peoria County Sheriff Chris Watkins previously said more than 100 young people were at the party and 48 shots were fired. The sheriff believes the shooting was “100% gang related.”

You can watch 25News – any newscast, anywhere – LIVE on 25NewsNow.com, our 25News mobile app and on our WEEK 25News SmartTV streaming app. Learn more about how to connect with 25News live news. Here.

Copyright 2024 WEEK. All rights reserved.