Springfield, Illinois – Yesterday, July 7, 2020, Springfield Police were called to the 1400 block of N. 11th St., at approximately 3:32 a.m., by a woman, who said her boyfriend had been shot outside of her house.
The victim, who was found unresponsive by police was shot in the upper torso. The victim, who has been identified as 29 year old Willie C. Evans Jr., died at 4:00 a.m. at HSHS St. John’s Hospital emergency room.
According to police, the woman said she had been in the house with a new guy who she had just met and knew as “Tone.” The woman’s on and off boyfriend – Evans started banging on the door demanding to be let inside of the house. When Evans pushed in the window air conditioning unit, Tone suddenly shot towards the now open window.
During the investigation, Tone was identified as Martin Antonio Brown, age 26.
Later in the afternoon, Martin contacted detectives and told them he acted in self-defense and wanted to turn himself in. Martin went to the Springfield Police Department and brought with him a firearm that he said he used in the shooting. That firearm was a black Taurus G2C 9mm semi-automatic handgun which was loaded with several live Hornady 9mm rounds. The 9mm semi-automatic handgun was also reported stolen in Springfield on June 22, 2020.
Martin was read his Miranda rights and interviewed by detectives. During the interview, he was asked where he got the gun? Martin said he had the gun for approximately a month after finding it on the ground after seeing someone run from the police on foot. He told detectives that he kept it hidden outside of his house until the 4th of July weekend when he decided to take it with him and keep it on him.
Martin told detectives that when he was in the house, with the woman he just met, the gun was in his pocket. He also told detectives that nobody else had possessed the gun during the time he had it.
Martin was booked into the Sangamon County Jail and has the following pending charges against him: Armed habitual criminal, a class x felony, Unlawful possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, a class 3 felony, and Possession of a stolen firearm, a class 2 felony.
At this time, Martin does not have a bond and is currently on a parole hold. According to online records, Martin pled guilty to aggravated battery in 2018 and is currently on parole for that case.
Stay tuned to Springfield Leaks for more updates.
