Case closed after last man sentenced in Caseyville home invasion murder

A fatal home invasion case came to a close Wednesday after the fourth man involved was sentenced for first-degree murder.

Terrion D. Stevenson, 22, was sentenced Wednesday to 40 years in prison. Stevenson pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, admitting to fatally shooting 24-year-old Nicholas Hood multiple times in front of his three young children and fiancee in October 2015.

Stevenson’s four initial charges — two counts of first degree murder, residential burglary and home invasion with a firearm — were all dismissed as part of a plea deal. An additional first-degree murder charge added by the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office was the only one for which he was sentenced.

Immediately after sentencing, Stevenson filed a motion for a hearing to reconsider his sentence, which will take place in late January.

Stevenson will receive credit for the two years he already has spent in jail pending the outcome of his case. He’ll have to serve 100 percent of the time remaining.

He entered a motion to withdraw his guilty plea in October, saying he did not make the plea voluntarily. He said his lawyer used “outside influence or pressure” and enlisted his mother to pressure him into agreeing to the deal by saying he would only get 25 years in prison. The motion was denied.

All four men were tried and sentenced separately. Orlando Adkins Jr., 23, was sentenced to 25 years in prison in July, 23-year-old Lamar Gulley to 12 years and Michael L. Williams, 23, to 20 years.

It was apparently Adkins’ idea to break into a house, looking for marijuana and cash, according to information given at Williams’ sentencing. The men hit a second house — Hood’s house — and tragedy struck. Adkins gave the gun to Stevenson, who kicked down the door to Hood’s house in the 1800 block of Apache Street in Caseyville as the others stood on the porch.

Hood ran down to the living room and was fatally shot in the struggle at the door. His fiancee and three kids were not physically harmed.

This story was originally published December 28, 2017 at 4:30 PM with the headline "Case closed after last man sentenced in Caseyville home invasion murder."