On 03.19.25 at 8:36 a.m., a vigilant Wabash County resident alerted the Sheriff's Office to a possible trespasser at the Peabody property located at 7614 N 900 Blvd. Mt. Carmel.
The Sheriff's Office responded and found a 2008 white Chevy Tahoe parked inside one of the buildings behind the locked gate on the property. The driver (owner) of the vehicle was taken into custody and an investigation was started. Evidence of burglary, theft, criminal damage to property, criminal trespass, possession of burglary tools and possession of methamphetamine was found.
Two other individuals were thought to be in the area. The Sheriff's Office deployed their drone in an attempt to locate the other suspects. Mt. Carmel Police responded and deployed K9 Eleven.
After searching the area for some time search efforts were terminated.
The driver, 46-year-old Tara M. Cottrill of Centralia was transported to the Wabash County Jail and charged with:
Possession of Methamphetamine
Burglary
Possession of Burglary tools
Theft more than $500 but less than $10k
Criminal damage to Property
Criminal Trespass to Real Property
Later in the afternoon another community member reported a man walking towards Keensburg. The Sheriff's Office responded and found a white male on Main Street in Keensburg. The subject advised he had been hiking but didn't know where the others in his group went. The male was dirty and advised he was from Odin, IL. The male was identified as 30-year-old Kyle A. Hall and subsequently taken into custody and transported to the Wabash County Jail.
Hall was charged with:
Burglary
Possession of Burglary tools
Theft more than $500 but less than $10k
Criminal Damage to Property
Criminal Trespass to Real Property
Both subjects were processed and later released due to Illinois Safety Act requirements, as the abovementioned offenses are not detainable.
The investigation continues and another suspect is being sought. The Wabash County Sheriff's Office was assisted by the Mt. Carmel Police Department , the Marion County Sheriff's Office, and Glenn's Towing.
If you have information on this incident, or would like to report any other crime call the Sheriff's Office at 618-262-4186 or submit a tip through the #wabashcountysheriffapp that is available to download for FREE in your Android or Apple store.
