POPE CO.—There’s been an arrest made in a stabbing incident we brought to you Sunday, April 22.
Lawmen from Illinois State Police apprehended one Byron Kirkland, 62, of Benton, on Wednesday afternoon, April 25, a few days after an alleged home invasion attempt at the Herod home of Herschel Matheny, 82, which resulted in Matheny being stabbed and airlifted from the area.
Byron Kirkland, mugshot from Massac County, where he's being held for Pope
According to reports, Kirkland came to the door of the house Matheny shares with Jacqueline Hicks, 75, on the morning of April 22 and asked to use the phone. When one was brought to him, Kirkland allegedly stabbed Matheny in the chest and physically assaulted Hicks, demanding money from the two.
Hicks told Kirkland that she could get money from another room, but when Kirkland allowed her to do so, she came back with a weapon and forced Hicks to leave. Hicks could have—and probably should have, to save the taxpayers of Pope County some money—shot his ass, but then you can never tell these days what prosecutors are going to think when someone does such a thing in self-defense claiming to be in fear for their lives. Maybe Ms. Hicks reads Disclosure.
Prompt response by Hardin County ambulance, Pope County deputies and ISP District 22 in Ullin got Matheny from the scene; we don’t know his status right now, but Pope prosecutor Janet Proctor has charged what appears to be Murder counts against Kirkland. However, that may just be the way they were typed in, as we don’t hear that Matheny has died, and it’s not a Class M charge, only a Class X….so it might be Attempted Murder, and “Attempted” doesn’t show up. Kirkland’s also charged with Armed Robbery (no firearm), and two counts of Aggravated Battery of a Victim over the age of 60.
It’s unknown what Kirkland’s bend against the elderly Matheny was, and unless someone sits in on all the court hearings (which doesn’t happen down in Pope….yet), we may likely never know, as authorities never give us motive anymore. Suffice it to say this capped off a sensational news week in South Counties. And now, while all the focus seems to be on Richland in North Counties this week with the Brandon Jenkins murder trial, SoCos seems to have settled down some….but yet, believe it when we tell you, we have STUFF coming up for the print version…so keep watching the site, get out there and get the current print version while its still on stands, and be looking for announcements on when/where the deliveries of the next print version commence.