UPDATE: Coroner identifies Tuscola man stabbed to death on Wednesday
Update at 5 p.m.
TUSCOLA, Ill. (WCIA) — The Douglas County Coroner’s Office has released the name of the person who was stabbed to death in Tuscola on Wednesday.
Coroner Lisa Edwards said the victim is Phillip Sanders, 56 of Tuscola. He was pronounced dead at the place where officers found him.
The investigation into Sanders’ death is ongoing.
Update at 3:20 p.m. on 3/14/2024
TUSCOLA, Ill. (WCIA) — A man is facing charges in connection to a deadly stabbing in Tuscola on Wednesday.
Joshua Henderson was charged on Thursday with two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated battery. He was denied pre-trial release at arraignment, as he was deemed a threat to the community.
Henderson is accused of stabbing a man multiple times with an eight-inch knife in the area of Parks and Van Allen Streets. The victim was stabbed in the neck, chest and hand and was pronounced dead at the scene.
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Court documents, provided to WCIA by the Douglas County Circuit Clerk, indicate that a responding officer encountered Henderson upon arriving at the scene. The officer said he observed blood on Henderson’s chest and said he was holding a knife covered in blood. Henderson was taken into custody after a struggle with the officer and multiple uses of the officer’s taser.
It was only after Henderson had been taken into custody and locked in a police car that the officer and other responders found the victim at the same apartment complex. Medical personnel confirmed he was already dead.
Henderson appeared in court via Zoom for arraignment, as he was said to have been in a manic state that made him a threat to himself and correctional staff. He did not respond to questions from the judge.
Henderson is due back in court on April 15.
Update at 10:45 p.m.
TUSCOLA, Ill. (WCIA) — A man is confirmed dead in Tuscola following a stabbing on Wednesday.
Tuscola Police and State Police are looking into what events led up to the death in the quiet community. It happened near Parke and Van Allen Streets around 2:30 p.m.
The section of street in front of an apartment building was blocked off. There were close to a dozen police vehicles on the scene ranging from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, local police, and crime scene investigators from the Illinois State Police.
WCIA reached out to Tuscola Police, but they haven’t released much information regarding the incident. But one man is confirmed to have been taken out of the building on a stretcher and another man was taken away in a police vehicle.
Neighbors said they are still shaken up.
“Makes you want to make sure you lock your doors a little bit better,” Irvin Kauffman said. “A lot of years, I never had the door locked, but it probably should start locking the doors a little better.”
WCIA also reached out to Lisa Edwards, the Douglas County Coroner. She was not available for comment at the time. Law enforcement is still investigating.
TUSCOLA, Ill. (WCIA) — There is a heavy police presence confirmed in a Tuscola neighborhood Wednesday evening.
The police response is centered at South Parke and West Van Allen Streets. Tuscola Police said they were working the scene but have released little information. State Police were also confirmed to be investigating.
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A WCIA crew is on its way to the scene.
This is a developing story. Stay tuned for updates.
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