East St. Louis police seek charges against two men after body found wrapped in rug

EAST ST. LOUIS -- Police will seek charges today against two men arrested in connection with the death of a 44-year-old Fairmont City man, whose body was found Tuesday wrapped in a rug in a heavily weeded area near 29th Street and Morris Avenue.

One man was arrested Tuesday and the second was arrested early Thursday, said Madison County Sheriff's Capt. Brad Wells, who serves as deputy commander of the Greater St. Louis Major Case Squad. Both are from the area, he said.

The men have not been formally charged, and their names have not been released. "We will make a presentation to the State's Attorney's Office tomorrow (Friday)," Wells said.

Ronald E. McFarland, of the 3000 block of North 62nd Street in Fairmont City, was found near the Lansdowne Towers housing complex, wrapped in a black rug, wearing only shorts. He was pronounced dead at the scene, and an autopsy revealed the cause of death to be blunt trauma to the head, St. Clair Coroner Rick Stone said.

Wells would not discuss any other details pertaining to the case. He said there would be no further information until possibly today.

A worker who was checking the grounds near the housing complex's Benton building discovered McFarland's body just across the street and reported it to his supervisor and then to the police.

The Major Case Squad was activated immediately.