Police: Break in Caseyville homicide could come soon

Police said Thursday they were making progress in their investigation of a Caseyville-area homicide, and they expected a major break soon.

“We have a number of leads that are rapidly evolving,” said Lt. Mike Eiskant of the Belleville Police Department, a spokesman for the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis. “We have numerous subjects we have identified as persons of interest.”

Eiskant declined to comment Wednesday afternoon if anyone was being held in connection with the case.

At 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nicholas Hood, 24, was shot three times in quick succession in his mobile home on Apache Street near Caseyville. Someone kicked in the door, shot him and fled.

Hood’s fiancee, Amber Sarmento, was in the home along with three small children, ages 4 1/2 months, 6 and 7. No one else in the home was hurt in the attack.

Hood’s 25th birthday would have been Thursday.

According to court records, Hood was set to appear in Madison County Circuit Court next month on a charge of possession of methamphetamine.

This story was originally published October 22, 2015 at 2:38 PM with the headline "Police: Break in Caseyville homicide could come soon."