Breaking News

Person in custody for 19-year-old Belleville man’s death

BELLEVILLE, Ill. – The Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis announced Thursday that investigators had taken a person of interest into custody for the murder of a 19-year-old Belleville man.

Cole Wierciszewski was shot February 12 just after 5:15 p.m. at a home in the 100 block of Paulette Drive, not far from the Skyview Drive-In. A friend found him minutes later and rushed him to Memorial Hospital, where he later died.

According to Captain Bruce Fleshren, Deputy Command of the Major Case Squad, investigators have not identified a possible motive for the killing.

Wierciszewski was known as an ambitious student, graduating from Belleville-East High School last spring while already taking classes at Southwestern Illinois College through a special dual enrollment program.

Authorities will present the case to the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office for charges on Friday morning.