PEORIA – A stranger conned his way into the home of a retired Peoria surgeon prior to his stabbing death, State's Attorney Jodi Hoos told the Journal Star.
Robert Ely, 54, was arrested Wednesday in the St. Louis area and charged with murder in the death of 92-year-old William Marshall in early January. Ely, who is from the St. Louis area, is part of a group of people who travel around the region and "target the elderly," Hoos said.
"They start with individuals who usually live alone, are older and have a very distinct scam that they do and, unfortunately, Dr. Marshall was a victim to this," Hoos told the Journal Star. "They are very good at conning their way into the house. They are good at getting entry into people's homes. This person, Ely, he pretended that he knew Dr. Marshall and was able to get inside the home."