Charges filed, victim identified in overnight Granite City murder

Two people initially identified by police as “persons of interest” have been charged with murder of a Granite City man found shot to death early Thursday morning.

Kadeem Noland, 27, of the 1400 block of Penrose in St. Louis, and Kristine Mills, 34, of 2200 block of Benton Street in Granite City each face counts of first-degree murder. Noland was additionally charged with unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, police said.

The victim has been identified as Jason Thomas, 36, of Granite City.

Noland and Mills are being held without bond at the Madison County Jail.

According to police, officers responded to a report of gunshots on the 2200 Block of Benton St. Thursday shortly after midnight. They found a man dead from a gunshot wound on the scene.

Police said an investigation into the incident led detectives to the city of St. Louis where Noland and Mills were located and taken into custody. The department was assisted by St. Louis Metropolitan Police.

This is the third death police are investigating in Madison County in the past week. Sunday, prominent attorney and businessman Randy Gori was found dead in his home in Edwardsville and on Monday Larry F. Singleton was found dead in his home in Alton.

A man, Timothy Benowitz, has been charged with Gori’s murder along with several other charges. Police are still investigating Singleton’s death but have deemed it suspicious.