EDWARDSVILLE – State’s Attorney Tom Gibbons announced a Madison County Jury has convicted a 27-year-old Glen Carbon man this afternoon for the murder of a 5-year-old boy in 2013.
Opening statements began on Tuesday, September 13, 2016, in the case against Tavon K. Ludy (d.o.b. 12/20/1988). Ludy was originally charged on December 1, 2013 with two counts of First Degree Murder (Class M) following the death of 5-year-old Torian Whitaker on September 29, 2013. Ludy was also charged with Aggravated Battery to a Child (Class 3) regarding abuse allegations involving another child in the home.
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First Assistant State’s Attorney Jennifer Mudge, of the Violent Crimes Unit, and Assistant State’s Attorney Kathleen Nolan, of the Children’s Justice Division, presented evidence, including testimony from the victims’ 10-year-old brother, during the trial to support the State’s charges against Ludy.
Gibbons thanked his staff, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Madison County Coroner Steve Nonn and all of the medical personnel whose work on this case contributed to the successful outcome.
“Our team fought for justice for these two little boys, and today that hard work paid off. We can now move on to sentencing so that we can remove this violent monster from our community and he can never harm another child,” said Gibbons.
Gibbons also commended the outstanding bravery of the young witness who testified during the trial. “Testifying in front of a courtroom filled with people, including the man who murdered your brother, is not an easy feat by any means. The display of bravery by this young man is something that we can all admire. I am hopeful that he is able to find peace during his time of healing after this senseless tragedy.”
Ludy will remain in custody at the Madison County Jail in Edwardsville, where he has been held since his arrest in 2013. Sentencing by Circuit Judge Kyle Napp will occur following the completion of a pre-sentencing investigation, which usually takes 6-8 weeks.
Penalty range for a Murder conviction is 20-60 years in prison; however, Ludy is eligible for an extended sentence of 60-100 years due to Torian’s age at the time of the murder. Ludy also faces 2-5 years in prison for the Class 3 Felony. He will have to serve 100 percent of his sentence.
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