By WMBD
MCLEAN COUNTY – Kiejoun Watts was looking to buy a gun from the man who is accused of killing him last winter.
The alleged killer, Desmond Sterling, reportedly confessed to a relative of Watts’ girlfriend, saying the killing was “personal” and that Watts, 20, of Bloomington, was shot in the back of the head so “it was quick.”
That’s some of the testimony that came out of the second day of testimony in Sterling’s bench trial, which is being heard in McLean County Circuit Court.
The 23-year-old Sterling is facing three counts of first-degree murder for a deadly Feb. 20, 2022, Bloomington shooting. If convicted, he faces at least 45 years and possibly up to life in prison.
A bench trial means there will be no jury to hear the case and only the judge will decide Sterling’s guilt or innocence. Police arrested Sterling in June after Watts’ body was found behind Victory Church in rural Bloomington.
A detective with the McClean County Sheriff’s Office testified that Watts and another man were trying to buy a gun from Sterling. The two were supposed to meet at a gas station on Main Street in Bloomington on Feb. 20.
Victory Church is about seven miles away from the gas station. Surveillance footage and data from Watts’ Apple Watch put the two men at the gas station at about 8:24 p.m.
A day or so later, Sterling allegedly had a Facetime call with the relative of Watts’ girlfriend where he told him the killing was personal and that it was quick.
One of the witnesses was Sterling’s foster parent, who came to their home at age 12 through the Moving Forward program. Another was a youth pastor at Victory Church where Watts’ body was found.
The trial is expected to last about a week.
WMBD can be reached at News@WJBC.com.
