Kenmetris T. Cockfield, 18, will remain in custody pending trial after a court granted the State’s request for detention on March 31. The case is related to an armed robbery of a 17-year-old male that took place in November last year.
The incident highlights ongoing concerns about youth safety and crime in Peoria County. Authorities say the victim was approached by several males, all reportedly carrying handguns, who threatened him and demanded his belongings. A recording of the event was later posted on Snapchat, which helped detectives identify those involved.
According to officials, Jorden J. Foster, 20; Shamari D. Joiner, 19; and two other males aged 17 and 15 have also been charged with armed robbery connected to this incident. Their cases are still moving through the court system.
Peoria County has a student-to-teacher ratio of fifteen to one during the most recent school year with over twenty-seven thousand students enrolled and nearly two thousand full-time faculty members across its schools according to the Illinois State Board of Education. Teacher absenteeism stood at thirty-two point three percent for Peoria County schools compared to thirty-five point six percent statewide as reported by the Illinois State Board of Education.
Diversity remains notable among area schools: Dunlap High School had the highest enrollment of white students with eight hundred seventy-three; Richwoods High School led in multiracial student enrollment at one hundred eighty-two; Lincoln School had two hundred eighteen Hispanic students—the highest for that group—and Peoria High School recorded seven hundred ninety-eight Black students during the same period according to the Illinois State Board of Education.
The investigation into this armed robbery continues. Police encourage anyone with information about this case to contact the Peoria Police Department.
