Peoria Woman Catherine Walker-Thomas Killed in Stabbing: Keonta Williams Arrested for First-Degree Murder
Catherine Walker-Thomas, 36, was killed in a stabbing on North Hightower Street in Peoria. Keonta J. Williams, 31, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder.
A Peoria woman was identified as the victim in a fatal stabbing that left Keonta J. Williams facing a first-degree murder charge.
The Peoria County Coroner's Office confirmed the victim was Catherine Walker-Thomas, 36. The incident unfolded on the night of Tuesday, June 2, at a residence on North Hightower Street.
A hang-up call and a disturbance
Peoria police responded to the 700 block of North Hightower Street at 10:12 p.m. after receiving a hang-up 911 call. Officers were already en route when additional reports of a disturbance at the location came in.
When officers arrived, they found Walker-Thomas at the residence with an apparent stab wound. Officers and Peoria Fire personnel immediately provided emergency medical aid on scene.
Walker-Thomas was transported to OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center in critical condition. She was pronounced dead at 10:56 p.m.
"The stab wound was considered inconsistent with life," said Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood. "She likely died moments after the stabbing."
Arrest and charges
Detectives identified 31-year-old Keonta J. Williams as the suspect during the investigation. Williams was taken into custody on Wednesday, June 3, and arrested for first-degree murder. She was transported to the Peoria County Jail.
"Keonta J. Williams was arrested on a charge of first-degree murder," said Semone Roth, spokeswoman for the Peoria Police Department.
The Peoria Police Department said the investigation remains ongoing. The official cause and manner of death were released by the coroner's office.
A neighborhood on alert
North Hightower Street runs through a residential area of Peoria. The fatal stabbing is the latest in a series of violent incidents that have drawn attention to public safety concerns in the city.
Peoria police also released updated year-to-date homicide and shooting data on Wednesday, showing changes in gun violence trends across the city. Those statistics were published alongside the arrest announcement.
The case remains under active investigation by the Peoria Police Department.
By Daniel Hayes, Illinois State News