Effingham City Police Involved in Pursuit of Murder Suspect

Effingham City Police were involved in a pursuit Monday morning that extended from Effingham to Taylorville. The pursuit was related to a fatal shooting in Shelbyville.

The man taken into custody is 24-year-old Deven Barger. The shooting victim was identified as 22-year-old Samantha Cushing of Shelbyville.

A three-year-old in the vehicle being pursued was recovered unharmed, and the presence of the child in the vehicle dictated how police conducted the pursuit.

The chase neared the Taylorville prison when city officers dropped their pursuit. Illinois State Police, and Taylorville city and Shelby County and Christian County officers were involved in the pursuit and resulting apprehension.

Effingham Police Chief Jason McFarland and Deputy Police Chief Kurt Davis were two of four city police officers involved in the pursuit, which occurred around 8:30am. 

McFarland said city police received notification from a reliable source that the suspect had been spotted in Effingham following the shooting. He said officers attempted to stop the suspect, but he fled. Police gave pursuit, which proceeded northwest on Illinois Route 33 through Beecher City, then north on Illinois Route 128 through Cowden to Illinois Route 16.

McFarland said the suspect then headed east on Route 16 to Shelbyville, the scene of the shooting, then came back out of town and headed west on Route 16. The pursuit continued to Illinois Route 29 in Pana and then northwest toward Taylorville. Eventually, Taylorville and Christian County authorities prepared a roadblock and the suspect slowed and was taken into custody. 

McFarland said the pursuit was unusual since authorities knew the child was in the vehicle. At one point, the suspect phoned 911 and the dispatcher transferred the call to McFarland, who talked with the suspect. The man declined to surrender at that point, though.

McFarland explained that Effingham officers maintained the pursuit until Christian County authorities were in place to take things over. He said they then ended their pursuit since they were in Christian County's jurisdiction.