UPDATE – Greg Hostetler Killer Pleads Not Guilty
HERVEY CITY, Ill. (WAND) – The man who is charged in a deadly Hervey City shooting has entered a plea of not guilty.
Tiimon Perry entered a not guilty plea in court Wednesday.
On May 13, Macon County Sheriff’s deputies were called to Five Star Auto Sales for a shooting.
Gregory W. Hostetler of Dalton City was pronounced dead at the scene of the shooting. He was 48.
According to Macon County Sheriff Jim Root, responding deputies found Hostetler and an 18-year-old gunshot victim, Hostetler’s nephew, in addition to the suspect who also had injuries.
The other victim and the suspect were taken to a hospital for treatment.
Hostetler and his nephew, who own and work at Five Star Auto Sales and Greg’s Towing and Recovery, had towed a vehicle earlier in the morning. A man identified as 25-year-old Tiimon Perry went to the business to recover the vehicle.
Deputies said Perry asked them for a screwdriver to change the tire. They gave it to him, but Perry said he had to leave to get additional tools.
He was told he had to pay the $50 he owed for the tow or leave his keys for the vehicle before leaving, because they were concerned that he would return, fix the vehicle, and leave without paying.
Hostetler moved the vehicle to a secure section of the lot so Perry could not take it.
Witnesses said Hostetler and Perry got into a physical fight inside Perry’s vehicle. They said Hostetler yelled to his nephew that Perry had a gun and to help him.
Deputies said the nephew got into the vehicle through the passenger door, climbing over Hostetler, who was on top of Perry and started striking Perry to get him to drop the gun.
Hostetler’s nephew said that at some point, the front driver’s door came open and Hostetler and Perry fell out onto the ground.
The nephew said he got out of the vehicle, came around to the driver’s side and saw Hostetler trying to get the gun away from Perry. He said he started hitting Perry in the head and tried to get the gun from him.
Deputies said at some point, Hostetler disengaged from the fight. The nephew yelled at him to help. When Hostetler tried to reengage, deputies said Perry fired the handgun, hitting Hostetler in the face.
Hostetler’s nephew said that, after Hostetler was shot, he realized Perry was pointing the handgun at his face. He said he grabbed the gun and moved it to the left. Deputies said Perry fired again, hitting the nephew in the shoulder.
The nephew told police he continued to fight for the gun and started slamming Perry’s head into the ground until he let go of the gun.
Deputies said Perry got up and tried to run away. They said Hostetler’s nephew fired one round at Perry, hitting him in the buttocks and groin area. Perry continued to flee northbound out of sight.
The nephew emptied the handgun of any additional ammunition and gave the weapon to his mother who took it into the office of the business.
Mt. Zion Police found Perry on the north side of the business, laying between two parked vehicles. He was detained and taken to the hospital.
Perry was charged with first degree murder and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. He had previous warrants for vehicular invasion and is wanted by Decatur Police for vehicle invasion and aggravated fleeing and eluding.
Deputies said Perry has a prior conviction for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon from September 2020.
An autopsy was performed for Hostetler on Tuesday. Results indicated he died due to a single gunshot wound to the head.
The Macon County Sheriff’s Office and Illinois State Police are investigating.
Perry will be in court again August 8 at 9 a.m.
