On Friday, March 29, the Kewanee Police Department announced that it had apprehended a 43-year old Kewanee man in connection with the murder of Jimmy Hollins II, 31, of Kewanee.
Jose M. Valentin, Kewanee, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder after the Henry County State’s Attorney’s Office reviewed the evidence and an arrest warrant for Valentin was issued.
Hollins was found lying in the roadway in the 100 block of Houle Avenue on Sunday, March 24. The police arrived on the scene shortly after 7:30 p.m. and found Hollins injured with a gunshot wound to his neck. Immediate life-saving measures were taken but paramedics were unable to save him and he was pronounced dead on the scene.
According to the news release, since March 24, the KPD has worked in collaboration with the Henry-Mercer Investigative Task Force, comprised of the Zone 2 Division of Criminal Investigation of the Illinois State Police, the Henry County Sheriff’s Office, the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office and the Aledo Police Department, along with the FBI, Galva Police Department, Stark County Sheriff’s Office and the Illinois State Police Crime Scene Service.
KPD detectives, “in conjunction with various agencies within the Henry-Mercer Investigative Task Force, conducted interviews, gathered evidence, and executed search warrants supporting the arrest of Valentin.”
The press release also states that on Thursday, March 28, the Henry County State’s Attorney’s Office reviewed the information and evidence gathered during the investigation. An arrest warrant for Valentin was issued on charges of two counts of first-degree murder.
Later that evening, Valentin was located and apprehended by the North Riverside Police Department. Valentin is set to be transported to the Henry County Jail.
The KPD thanked all of the assisting agencies “whose collaborative efforts led to Valentin’s apprehension.” Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to call the Kewanee Police Department at (309)853-1911.
