10-03-2025
Police asking for help to ID suspects in Urbana murder investigation
URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — The investigation into an Urbana teenager's murder has revealed two suspects and a person of interest, Urbana Police officials announced. They're now asking for help from the public through Crime Stoppers to identify them.
On Feb. 7, 18-year-old Sherman McCraney was shot in the area of Vawter and Silver Streets and later died at Carle Hospital.
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Officials last provided an update on the investigation during a news conference a week later, as they addressed both McCraney's murder and the murder of 7-year-old DJ Wicks 24 hours later. Officials could not provide many details on McCraney's murder; they confirmed a gun was found near McCraney but couldn't say what role it played in the shooting.
Urbana Police said investigators were still following leads. Now, those leads have found two suspects in the shooting and revealed they briefly talked to a third person before the shooting and before they left the area.
The two suspects are Black males — one is average height with a 'stocky' build and the other is tall with a thin build. The person they talked to was described as wearing a tan jacket and black pants.
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Any home or business owner with property in the area of Vawter and Silver Streets is asked to check their exterior surveillance cameras, and if they have any, and review their footage from around the time of the shooting — 8 p.m. on Feb. 7. If anyone sees suspicious people or vehicles, they should contact Champaign County Crime Stoppers to submit their knowledge.
Tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers by calling 217-373-8477, visiting their website or using the P3 Tips app. All tips to Crime Stoppers are both anonymous and eligible for a cash reward ($5,000 in homicide cases) if they lead to an arrest.
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