St. Clair County jury convicts man of murder in three separate shootings on same day

A Madison County man has been found guilty on three counts of first-degree murder by a St. Clair County jury.

Howard E. Doolin, 35, of Alton, had been charged following an early morning armed robbery spree on Dec. 23, 2019, that left three people dead and a fourth wounded.

Doolin had already been on parole on felony convictions in both Illinois and Missouri. After last week’s trial, which began on Nov. 14, the St. Clair County jury found him guilty on three counts of murder and two counts of aggravated battery with a firearm.

Bond was revoked following the trial, and Doolin is currently being held at the St. Clair County Jail until his sentencing, which is scheduled for Dec. 28.

The victims include:

• James E. Shafer, 40, of Cahokia Heights, who Doolin shot in the leg near 25th and Louisiana in East St. Louis. Shafer later died at Saint Louis University Hospital.
• Curtisha Warren, 23, and Marcelene Braggs, 60, of Alton, died at area hospitals after a reported vehicle crash at 18th Street and St. Clair Avenue. According to East St. Louis Police at the time, an officer found Warren’s body outside the vehicle on the roadway with an apparent gunshot wound in the leg. Braggs was still inside the car with bullet wounds to her abdomen.
• Roneka Fair, also known as Brown, was shot during yet another robbery near 25th and State streets. She survived after spending more than a week in Saint Louis University Hospital, Illinois State Police said when Doolin was charged.

Doolin will be tried separately on charges of possession of a firearm while on parole and being an “armed habitual criminal.” That trial has yet to be scheduled, according to the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s office.

The case was tried for the state by Assistant State’s Attorney Erica Mazzotti and Tara Mendola.

This story was originally published November 22, 2022 at 1:06 PM.