Coroner releases identity of Belleville homicide victim

MARCH 16, 2025, 2:39 P.M. - This article was updated to correct conflicting information from official sources on the spelling of victim’s name and his age.

Belleville police are investigating a homicide after officers found a 69-year-old man dead inside a home Sunday morning.

Officers were dispatched about 11:11 a.m. to the 200 block of Union Avenue for a report of an unknown disturbance, police said. Inside the residence, officers found the man and attempted lifesaving measures with emergency medical personnel.

Detectives and the department’s crime scene unit processed the scene and opened a homicide investigation.

St. Clair County Coroner Calvin Dye Sr. identified the victim as Arther L. Heard, of Belleville. County property records, however, show the home is owned by Arthur Sheard. Belleville Police didn’t provide identification, other than to say he was a 78-year-old male.

He was pronounced dead of a stab wound at the scene at 1:32 p.m., Dye said.

A person of interest was later located and taken into custody in St. Louis by Belleville detectives and St. Louis city police officers, authorities said.

The person was being held at a St. Louis police precinct as the investigation continued.

The investigation remains active. Police said additional information will be released when available.

This story was originally published March 15, 2026 at 4:36 PM.