A Milan man facing a first-degree murder charge in a 2024 drug-related death investigation in rural Sherrard will return to court in October.
43-year-old William DeWitt appeared in Mercer County Circuit Court on Monday, where a status hearing was set for Oct. 5 in the case.
DeWitt is facing charges of first-degree murder and a Class X felony of drug-induced homicide stemming from the 2023 death of 63-year-old Anthony Qualls of Sherrard. DeWitt has pleaded not guilty to both charges.
DeWitt was released from custody with GPS tracking in January after his defense filed a motion for release. He had been in custody at the Mercer County Jail since his arrest in April 2024.
A co-defendant in the case, 54-year-old Susan McFalls of Colona, is scheduled to appear in court next Monday. She is charged with first-degree murder and a Class X felony of drug-induced homicide via accountability. McFalls was granted pretrial release in 2024.