EAST ST. LOUIS – The Illinois State Police and the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office announced that Wednesday, July 12, 2023, St. Clair County State’s Attorney, James Gomric, charged 42-year-old Cermen L. Toney of East St. Louis with First-Degree Murder.
ISP recalled that at approximately 1:38 a.m. on Wednesday, July 5, 2023, the East St. Louis Police Department and the ISP Public Safety Enforcement Group (PSEG) responded to the 1400 block of Gaty Avenue in East St. Louis for reports of a shooting. Officers found Lonnie D. Johnson had been struck by gunfire. Johnson was transported to an area hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.
On July 10, 2023, Toney turned himself into PSEG agents. Toney is currently being held at the St. Clair County Jail on a $1,000,000, 10% to apply bond. No further information is available.
All subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
