By Howard Packowitz
BLOOMINGTON – Bloomington’s new police chief is asking for the public’s help to solve a double murder that happened early Sunday morning on the city’s east side.
Chief Clay Wheeler is urging people to call even if they think the information they have is not important to solving the shooting deaths of Taneshiea Brown, 20, and Steven Alexander, 18, both of Bloomington.
They died from gunshot wounds, but authorities aren’t providing other information about the shooting in the 1200 block of Orchard Road, near Veterans Parkway and East Empire. Police said two other people, whose names are not being released, suffered non-life threatening injuries.
Wheeler said it’s common for investigators not to release to the news media key details that only a killer or key witness might know.
“The information is more valuable to us if we can show that the only way the person knew it was if they had direct knowledge from the suspect or a witness,” the chief said.
“There’s got to be somebody that has some information. While they might not think it’s important, (if) everbody we talk to shares information, we put those pieces together and can help us greatly. So, please help us, Chief Wheeler said.
Anyone with information is asked to call Bloomington Police Detectives Paul Swanlund at (309) 434-2373 or Steve Fanelli at (309) 434-2457. Det. Swanlund can also be reached at [email protected] and Det. Steve Fanelli at [email protected].
Anonymous tips are accepted by McLean County Crime Stoppers at 309-828-1111. Rewards of up to $1,000 are offered for information that leads to an arrest and indictment.
Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]
