Bloomington woman charged with murder for December stabbing

Posted on January 25, 2018
Brittney Mikesell
A grand jury indicted Brittney Mikesell of Bloomington for murder after a December stabbing that killed her boyfriend, Cullen Hedrick. (McLean County Jail photo)

By Howard Packowitz

BLOOMINGTON – A Bloomington woman is charged with murder for her boyfriend’s stabbing death in early December even though authorities indicated another man committed the killing in self-defense.

A McLean County Grand Jury on Wednesday handed up a murder indictment against Brittney Mikesell.

The murder charge alleges Mikesell caused the death of Cullen Hedrick, 21, while committing the crime of mob action.

The grand jury indicted Mikesell on four mob action counts and four more counts of aggravated battery. No one else has been charged in the case.

During a court hearing last month, prosecutors said Hedrick and Mikesell confronted the other man at Cardinal Ridge Mobile Home Park in south Bloomington.

Hedrick allegedly swung a machete at the man, who got up from the ground and stabbed Hedrick.

Mikesell is accused of shooting pepper spray at the man.

She drove Hedrick to the hospital and allegedly threw the machete from the vehicle.

Mikesell faces a felony charge for allegedly spitting at a rescue worker.

She has to post a $205,070 cash bond to be released from jail before her trial.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…