U.S. Marshals Arrest Illinois Man for Role in Feb 2025 Drive-By That Left Teen Dead

Washington, DC – The U.S. Marshals (USMS) Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force (GLRFTF) on Jan. 27 arrested an Illinois man for his role in three drive-by shootings in February 2025 that left resulted in the death of a 15-year-old boy.

Deanthony Tillman was charged in a Jan. 14 St. Clair County, Illinois, arrest warrant for two counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon stemming from a Feb. 22, 2025, incident in Cahokia Heights, Illinois, involving Tillman and several other gang associates.

The first shooting incident took place at the intersection of Kenneth Avenue and Armand Drive. Tillman and others in a white Nissan Maxima approached two pedestrians walking along the roadway and exchanged gunfire.  A 15-year-old backseat passenger sustained a single gunshot wound to his head. Tillman and the others dropped the teen at a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead from his injuries.  

Tillman and the others then reportedly performed two more drive-by shootings, targeting the same pedestrians, resulting in non-life-threatening injuries.

On Jan. 27, after information was developed that Tillman was residing at a house in the 2100 block of Louise Avenue in Cahokia Heights, the USMS Southern Illinois-Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force and the Illinois State Police went to the residence, made entry and arrested Tillman. 

During a sweep of the residence for additional occupants, investigators located an AR-15 pistol in plain view. The residence was secured and relinquished to ISP for search warrant application. 

Tillman was on pretrial release for a previous firearm case. Additional charges will be forwarded to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the St. Clair County Circuit Attorney’s Office.

Formed June 20, 2003, the U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force mission is to locate and apprehend fugitives, with priority given to fugitives wanted for violent crime. With its primary office in Chicago, the GLRFTF operates throughout Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. Since its inception the GLRFTF has arrested more than 127,000 fugitives.