Peoria Standard

A Peoria County judge has found David H. Stone, 41, guilty of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Arlin Bermudez-Castellon. The incident occurred in January 2024 in Peoria’s East Bluff neighborhood.

On January 4, 2024, police responded to a report of a shooting on the 200 block of E. Thrush. Officers discovered Castellon with multiple gunshot wounds and attempted life-saving measures. Castellon was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

During a three-day bench trial, prosecutors presented recorded jail phone calls where Stone admitted being present at the scene with another individual, Mikeal Williams. Stone stated he and Williams were there to collect money owed by Castellon when the situation escalated and Williams shot Castellon.

The prosecution also introduced text messages from Stone threatening Castellon the day before the killing and surveillance footage showing Stone picking up Williams prior to the murder and fleeing with him afterward.

Although Stone did not fire the shots that killed Castellon, he was convicted under Illinois’ accountability law. This law allows for individuals to be held responsible for crimes if they help plan or participate in them.

Stone is one of two defendants in this case. The second defendant, Mikeal Williams, is currently in custody in Texas awaiting extradition to Illinois. His case remains pending.

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