EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine issued statements about the guilty plea by Brittany McMillan, 30, of Alabama, to three counts of first-degree murder for the 2019 murders of Shari Yates, 59, her son, Andrew Brooks, 30, and John McMillian, 32, in Bethalto. She will serve a life sentence, the maximum available under Illinois law.
“These terrible murders shocked the entire Madison County community,” Haine said. “Our prayers today are especially with the family of the victims, who suffered so much loss and acted with incredible dignity and strength.
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"We hope that the defendant’s guilty plea will begin to provide some closure as we continue to aggressively pursue justice against her co-defendant as well.”
On December 19, 2019, authorities found the bodies of Yates, Brooks, and McMillian in a home on Mill Street in Bethalto. McMillan was arrested in Hazelwood, Mo., with Brady Witcher, 41, of Alabama. Both were charged with nine counts of first-degree murder, one county of armed robbery, and one count of aggravated vehicular hijacking.
Witcher is set to stand trial in Madison County in January.
Haine thanked the Hazelwood Police Department, Bethalto Police Department, the Major Case Squad, and Assistant State’s Attorney’s Lauren Maricle and Morgan Hudson for their work in investigating and prosecuting the case.
Madison County Circuit Judge Kyle Napp presided over the case.
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