Closure: Family sees justice in shooting of ESL pawn shop owner

The family of an East St. Louis pawn shop owner who was shot and paralyzed from the waist down says they are happy that justice has finally been handed down in the case.

On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Michael J. Reagan sentenced Timothy R. Collier, 48, of East St. Louis, to life in prison plus 900 months for shooting Osborn on April 25, 2013, at East St. Louis Jewelry and Loan and leaving him paralyzed from the chest down, and for his role in robbing Arena Liquors in Belleville in 2013.

“I had to put it in God’s hands to keep my sanity,” said 82-year-old Kay Osborn, the mother of the victim, Larry Osborne, 54. “He ruined my heart and his father’s health.”

Francis Osborn, 85, Larry’s father, said his son has been hospitalized 91 out of 100 days since Christmas. “He’s still subject to septic infections that can occur at any time and they can kill you.”

Lance Osborn, 17, Larry’s son, fought back his tears as he heard the judge issue his sentence. “Justice has been served,” he said with one tear rolling down his face.

Paige Osborn, 19, Larry’s daughter, clung to her father, who was sitting in a wheelchair, and exclaimed, “Thank God.”

On Nov. 12, 2014, a jury convicted Collier of five counts, including robbery, and carrying and using a gun during the commission of a robbery. The crime became a federal case under the Hobbs Act.

Collier stared straight ahead at the judge’s bench. A deputy U.S. marshal sat directly behind him and one stood nearby. Collier was dressed in an orange-and-white striped jail suit and his hands were cuffed in the front. He was shackled at the feet. He took a brief look into the audience and quickly turned back toward the judge’s bench in the front of the room.

Authorities said Collier entered the business and shot Osborn in the chest. That bullet also damaged his spinal chord leaving him paralyzed. Collier climbed on top of Osborn’s motionless body, pressed the gun to the back of his head and shot him point blank behind his right ear. He later went to the Belleville liquor store and robbed it.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ali Summer, the lead prosecutor, told Reagan that Collier’s “heinous and violent act” was the classic case for a life sentence.

Defense attorney Justin Kuehn said he plans to appeal the sentence.

Kuehn objected to how prosecutors were applying federal sentencing guidelines and claimed that Collier was being punished twice for the same act.

Prosecutors countered that he was being punished twice — but for two separate acts — one for the robbery, and one for attempted murder. Prosecutors said it was permissible to punish him twice for two separate courses of conduct.

Reagan, who is the chief judge of the Southern District, sided with prosecutors. He found that there were two separate crimes committed and federal law permits the sentence as it was handed down.

Reagan called Collier’s actions “particularly egregious.”

“Had he (Collier) complied with the law, we wouldn’t be here today and Larry Osborn would not be confined to a wheelchair. At trial we were given a glimpse of Mr. Osborn before he became a paraplegic. (A witness) testified that he was a sweet man who gave back to the community. He opened his store on Halloween for the kids,” Reagan said.

Summer recommended that Reagan sentence Collier to between 780 months to life in prison. Kuehn asked for 40 years, arguing that at Collier’s age, it would amount to a life sentence anyway.

This story was originally published July 17, 2015 at 9:59 AM with the headline "Closure: Family sees justice in shooting of ESL pawn shop owner."