NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – A Nashville man is facing charges in a double homicide in East St. Louis.
According to Illinois State Police Investigations, 29-year-old Orlando M. Ladd Jr., of Nashville, Tennessee is being charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
The charges come after both Charlie Howard and Martinel Labon died after being shot in the head, reportedly by Ladd.
The charges stem from an incident that occurred on March 13, 2021 around 3:12 a.m. in the Samuel L. Gompers Housing complex located at 450 North 6th Street, East Saint Louis, IL.
News 2 spoke to Labon’s siblings, Robert and Keyonna Labon, who say they’re still in shock that this happened to their brother.
“I still actually don’t believe it and I seen the casket close on my brother. I really don’t believe it,” Robert said.
“He (Ladd) was free for two months doing what he wanted to do,” Keyanna said.
Investigators said both men were shot at the location and died from their injuries. Ladd was arrested and his bond was set at $1,000,000.
Ladd remains in the Rutherford County Jail in Murfreesboro and awaits extradition.
“They took a real important part of our family. He was loved by our family. We wasn’t going to stop until we got justice,” Robert said. “I’m really not satisfied until we get a guilty verdict. Just because they’re charging somebody doesn’t mean it’s the case that he’s going to jail.”
The case was investigated by the Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigation – Zone 6, the East St Louis Police Department, St. Clair County Coroner and St. Clair County States Attorney’s Office.
Anyone with more information is asked to contact the ISP DCI Zone 6 at (618) 571-4125 or Crime Stoppers at (866) 371-8477.
No other information was immediately released.
