Belleville man shot and killed brother, police say

A 56-year-old Belleville man shot and killed his brother Friday night in a neighborhood just outside Belleville, according to police.

Officers found Wayne Commons’s younger brother, 50-year-old Paul Commons, shot dead around 11 p.m. near Lakewood Drive and North 72nd Street, according to a release from police. They were called to the area on a report of shots fired.

The release stated Paul Commons suffered one gunshot to his face.

Formal charges were filed Sunday and allege that Wayne Commons knowingly killed his brother. The document states he believed the circumstances of the shooting “would justify or exonerate the killing” but prosecutors wrote that “his belief was unreasonable.”

Wayne Commons was booked into the St. Clair County Jail with a $300,000 bail.

Both men are associated with the same Lakewood Drive address.

This story was originally published January 7, 2018 at 6:47 AM with the headline "Belleville man shot and killed brother, police say."