Sunday, Jul. 05, 2009

Teen charged in death of Fairmont City man faces more charges

EAST ST. LOUIS -- A teen who was charged in the death of a Fairmont City man received additional charges for other criminal offenses.

Antwan Edwards, 18, of 1833 Russell, East St. Louis, was charged Thursday with armed robbery and aggravated assault for crimes he committed in May.

He was recently charged in the death of Ronald McFarland, a Fairmont City man. McFarland's body was found wrapped in a black rug and dumped on a vacant, heavily weeded lot at 29th Street and Morrison Avenue. Edwards and another man allegedly stole his vehicle. McFarland hopped in the truck when the pair tried to speed away, fell from the truck bed and struck his head on the ground.

Police said Edwards and another man carried McFarland's body to the location where a worker with the East St. Louis Housing Authority found it and called police. The incident occurred Monday.

He is being held at the St. Clair County Jail on $1 million bail for that crime. An additional bail of $500,000 was set for the recent charges.

The latest offense occurred May 17. Police were dispatched to the 2400 block of Market. At the scene, police found a man down. That individual told police he had been shot in the leg by people riding in a silver or gray vehicle with Florida registration.

"The man was taken to the hospital for treatment of his wound," detective Michael Floore said.

Then, at 8:59 p.m. the same day, police received a call reporting another robbery at 11th Street and Division Avenue.

In this crime, one unidentified man was beaten in the face with a pistol. He was taken to the hospital for treatment.

Two individuals were robbed in this case. They identified Edwards and another man named Malcom M. Garrett, of 1101 Kansas in East St. Louis, as their attackers, Floore said.

Garrett is also charged with armed robbery and aggravated assault. Bail was set at $75,000. He is not in custody. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is urged to call the East St. Louis Police Department at 482-6700 or Crime Stoppers at 1-866-371-8477.