Belleville man on parole charged with 1st degree murder in death of Freeburg woman
A Belleville man is facing multiple felony charges in connection with the death of a Freeburg woman on Thursday, the St. Clair County State’s Attorney said.
In addition to a single count of first-degree murder, Scottie R. Lambert, 33, has been charged with felony counts of home invasion, armed robbery and possession of a stolen motor vehicle. He is being held at the St. Clair County Jail on $1 million bond.
Lambert already was on parole from the Illinois Department of Corrections on a 2013 armed robbery conviction, according to St. Clair County court records.
The death of Linda Waller, 55, remains under investigation, however, according to a release from Belleville Police.
Lambert’s arrest and the subsequent discovery of Waller’s body at her Freeburg home was initiated by Belleville officers following a routine traffic stop Thursday.
According to Belleville Assistant Chief of Police Mark Heffernan, officers pulled over a Ford F-150 pick-up truck for making an improper turn from West Washington Street onto 2nd Street. He said the driver, Lambert, appeared nervous, but granted officers consent to search the vehicle.
The officers discovered that the truck was registered to Waller and also found evidence that led them to believe the driver may have been involved in a violent crime, Heffernan said.
A call to Freeburg Police initiated a wellness check to Waller’s Deerfield Trailer Court home, where officers found her body. She was pronounced dead at the scene, said St. Clair County Coroner Calvin Dye Sr.
The homicide is the first in Freeburg since the 1970s, authorities have said.
The case is being investigated by detectives from both Freeburg and Belleville who jointly provided information to county prosecutors that led to charges Friday.
“This case is yet another illustration of the dangers police officers face everyday,” Heffernan said Thursday. “What appeared to be a simple traffic stop quickly escalated to a suspect in a violent murder. “The officers who stopped the vehicle should be commended for their pro activity and their diligence in investigating further.”
Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Freeburg Police at 618-539-3132 or Belleville Police at 618-234-1212. Anonymous tips may be submitted to Crimestoppers at 866-371-8477.
Police are not currently seeking any other suspects in the case, according to a release.
This story was originally published January 13, 2023 at 3:04 PM.
