CENTRALIA, IL — After a brief deliberation on Friday afternoon, a Marion County jury found Ricky Norwood of Centralia guilty of second-degree murder in connection with the 2015 shooting death of Dustin Rhynes.

The verdict followed three days of testimony and closing arguments, concluding with just 90 minutes of jury deliberation. Norwood now faces up to 20 years in prison, with eligibility for day-for-day good time. Sentencing is scheduled for June 25.

Norwood had previously been convicted of first-degree murder, but that conviction was overturned after Judge Mark Stedelin ruled there had been juror misconduct during the original trial.

This time, a key difference in the proceedings was the testimony of Charles Collins, who was located just as the trial began and agreed to return from out of state to testify. Collins, who was reportedly shot during the same incident near BCMW on East Haussler Street, told the court he turned after hearing gunfire and saw Norwood.

Background on the Incident

Testimony revealed that Norwood’s sister had gotten into a confrontation with Collins and Rhynes at an apartment earlier in the day. She claimed the men had fired shots into the air on a nearby street and left in anger to Norwood’s home. Norwood had already left his residence by the time the fatal shots were fired.

Collins was later found with a gunshot wound near Fireside Nursing Home, while Rhynes’ body was discovered the following day in an alleyway, dead from a single gunshot wound.

Despite the violence, the case remained unresolved for nearly seven years—until March 2022, when a Marion County Grand Jury indicted Norwood.

Defense Criticizes the Case

In his closing argument, defense attorney Dennis Hatch slammed the prosecution’s case, arguing it took “ten years to make an arrest because the case stunk.” Hatch attacked Collins’ credibility, citing his 15-year prison sentence for attempted murder, and accused him of repeatedly lying on the stand. He also questioned the absence of certain witnesses and untested evidence.

Justice After a Long Wait

Marion County State’s Attorney Tim Hudspeth said the verdict was a long-awaited moment of justice for Dustin Rhynes’ family.

“They have waited nearly ten years to get justice for Dustin, and I’m honored to have helped deliver that justice on Friday,” Hudspeth said.

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He emphasized the role of community involvement in solving violent crimes.

“When people see bad things happening in their community and report them to police, we can and will prosecute and punish those responsible. That cooperation is how we keep our communities safe.”

Hudspeth also thanked Retired Illinois State Police Special Agent Jeff Kline, who led the investigation from 2015 to 2018, and Sergeant Travis Rinehart, who carried it forward to trial. He credited the combined efforts of the Illinois State Police, Centralia Police Department, and other investigators for gathering the evidence that led to the conviction.

“Without the dedication of each and every person involved, this conviction wouldn’t have been possible,” Hudspeth added.

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