By Howard Packowitz and Greg Halbleib
NORMAL – Normal police said a local man was in custody and the coroner identified the victim of Wednesday afternoon’s fatal shooting in North Normal.
Police arrested Danny Lyons Jr.,22, of Normal at a residence in Lincoln about 1:30 Thursday morning.
Officers from several agencies executed search warrants in homes and vehicles in North Normal, Heyworth and Lincoln, leading to Lyons’ arrest.
Lyons is expected to appear in court Friday afternoon on charges he murdered David Parks, 22, of Bloomington.
McLean County Coroner Kathy Davis said Parks died from approximately five gunshot wounds. The coroner is awaiting toxicology results to determine if drugs or alcohol were in Parks’ body when he died.
Normal police chief Rick Bleichner says investigators quickly obtained a lot of information that led to Lyons arrest.
“Part of it was information from individuals who were in the area,” said Bleichner.
“Other individuals that shared information with us, and just the hard work of staff that was able to put that information together and start putting those pieces of the puzzle together that led us to those particular locations,” the chief also said.
The shooting occurred near an apartment complex at Golfcrest and Northbrook before 2 p.m. Wednesday.
The investigation continues, although Bleichner said Lyons is the only suspect. Investigators ask anyone with information to call Normal Police at 309-454-9535 or McLean County CrimeStoppers at 309-828-1111.
Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]
