Haine Announces Guilty Plea in SIUE Student Murder Case
Edwardsville— Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine announced today that Jacob Godoy, 17, of St. Louis, pled guilty to one count of first-degree murder for the January 2021 killing of SIUE student Moneer Damra.
“The Defendant turned the streets of Madison County into a shooting gallery that evening, and took the life of a wonderful young man, senselessly and brutally,” Haine said. “Such violence will be met with the strictest prosecution in Madison County. We continue to pray for Moneer’s family, the SIUE community and the ROTC program as they continue forward in the face of this horrific tragedy.”
On the evening of January 14, 2021, Damra was a passenger in a vehicle on Interstate 270 and Route 157 in Edwardsville when he was struck by gunfire. He was taken to a local hospital and passed away several days later as a result of the injury.
The first degree murder charge is a Class M felony, and the sentencing range is 20-60 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC), with an addition 25 years to life sentence with the potential firearms enhancement.
Jimmy Ortiz, 20, of St. Louis, was also charged for his role in the incident. His case is pending, and he is in the custody of the Madison County Jail.
