Collinsville teen charged in Belleville Crossing parking lot murder
A Collinsville teen has been charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of a 20-year-old restaurant employee outside a strip mall at Belleville Crossing shopping center on Sunday.
The St. Clair County state’s attorney’s office also charged William A.L. Molton, 18, with possession of a firearm by someone under age 21, according to Belleville police.
“Molton is currently being held at the Belleville Police Department and will be transported to the St. Clair County Jail pending further court proceedings,” a news release stated.
Police had reported earlier that the victim, who worked at Qdoba Mexican Eats, knew the gunman.
”Interpersonal drama and the opportunity to settle an old score led to tragedy and a young life lost,” Acting Police Chief Mark Heffernan stated in a news release on Monday.
St. Clair County Coroner Calvin Dye Sr. identified the victim as Montavion Conrad, 20, of Belleville. He was pronounced dead at Belleville Memorial Hospital at 4:17 p.m.
Police were dispatched to the strip mall at 3:49 p.m. They rendered aid and secured the scene, then began their investigation and went looking for the suspect.
The strip mall is located near the intersection of Illinois 15 and Frank Scott Parkway. It includes Qdoba, Wingstop, West Belleville Nail Spa and an AT&T store.
The director of operations at the Qdoba restaurant declined to comment on the murder. Adnan Bajramaliu, vice president of operations for the franchisee, North Fork Fresh Mex, emailed the following statement:
“We are heartbroken by the loss of our team member, Montavion Conrad, in this tragic incident. Our thoughts are with his loved ones, and we are cooperating with local authorities as they continue their investigation.”
According to news releases, preliminary investigation found that:
- The suspect and a female juvenile, both from Collinsville, thought they placed a Wingstop order to the restaurant’s Collinsville location.
- They learned the order had gone to the Belleville Crossing location, so they traveled there to pick it up.
- When they arrived, the suspect recognized the victim, a Qdoba employee, from “previous encounters from past relationship issues.”
- The two men exchanged words, and the victim proceeded toward the suspect as if a fight was about to occur.
- The suspect produced a handgun and shot the victim.
- Officers gathered suspect information to include a vehicle description.
- Responding Belleville patrol officers located the vehicle and pursued it with help from assisting agencies.
- The suspect’s vehicle crashed in the 6600 block of Old St. Louis Road, and the suspect and female juvenile fled.
- Belleville police conducted a manhunt in a wooded area near the crash, assisted by several agencies, using drones and K-9 support.
“The suspect and juvenile female were located less than one hour after the shooting occurred and arrested,” Heffernan stated in one of the news releases. “The suspect remains in custody (and) the juvenile has been released to her parents.”
This story was originally published March 17, 2026 at 5:04 PM.
