Chester man indicted on murder charge

Union County State’s Attorney Tyler R. Edmonds and Union County Sheriff Scott Harvel reported on Feb. 6 that William P. Wasmund, 48, of 1510 Hyland Rd. in Chester has been indicted on one count on first degree murder.

Wasmund has been charged in connection with the death of Jeffery A. Spicer, 53, of Murphysboro.  

Edmonds and Harvel said in a news release that the charges result from an extensive investigation by the Union County Sheriff’s Office and Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.  

Spicer was found dead along the highway at 7625 State Route 3 North in rural Union County on Sept. 16, 2018.

Wasmund is charged with setting a shotgun with a trigger that was set to fire when the door of a shed was opened – knowing that such act created a strong probability of death or great bodily harm to any person who opened the door of the shed.  

The shed was located at the 7625 State Route 3 North property.

Wasmund was taken into custody early Wednesday morning, Feb. 6, at the Chester Police Department.  

Wasmund was scheduled to have his first appearance in Union County Circuit Court in Jonesboro on Thursday morning, Feb. 7, before Presiding Judge Mark Boie.

Wasmund is being held in the Jackson County Jail in Murphysboro on $1 million bond. 

Agencies assisting the Union County Sheriff’s Office and Jackson County Sheriff’s Office in the investigation include Illinois State Police Crime Scene, Carbondale Police/Southern Illinois University Carbondale Police Bomb Squad, Illinois Secretary of State Police Bomb Squad and the Union County coroner’s office.