PULASKI COUNTY, Ill. -- A 35-year-old man was sentenced to dozens of years in jail in relation to a death investigation from 2020 when a body was found in Pulaski County.
Illinois State Police said James A. Merritt, 35 of Morehouse, Missouri, was sentenced to life for murder in the second degree, 20 years for armed criminal action, four years for tampering with physical evidence and five years for trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation. He also faces a $25,000 fee.
This sentencing is in relation to a body found in Pulaski County in March of 2020 where Haley Decker, 18 of Normal, Illinois, was found in the Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge.
"The investigative efforts of the ISP agents and forensic scientists involved in this investigation are to be commended,� stated ISP Zone 7 Commander, Captain Nicholas Dill. “I’d also like to express our appreciation to the Missouri Highway Patrol for their collaboration in this investigation. The cooperation between the state law enforcement agencies on both sides of the river resulted in a successful investigation and conviction.�
Decker was reported missing on March 4, 2020. Fingerprints were taken after the body was found in Pulaski County which confirmed the identity of Decker.
On January 26, 2024, Merritt was found guilty on all charges in a courtroom in New Madrid County.
