Alton Police Charge Two With Obstructing Justice In Shooting Cases
East St. Louis and Collinsville residents face felonies after allegedly lying to police about the circumstances of separate shootings.
ALTON – Alton authorities have charged two area residents with obstructing justice after allegedly giving false information to police investigating separate shootings from earlier this year.
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Deveon J. L. Burger, 24, of East St. Louis, was charged on Oct. 10, 2025 with obstructing justice, a Class 4 felony.
Burger allegedly gave police false information about Hosea J. Burgess, who was charged last June with a Class X felony count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a repeat offender in connection to the fatal shooting of Donald R. Lane of Alton on May 28, 2025.
On May 30, 2025, Burger allegedly falsely told the police “that he did not see Hosea Burgess with a firearm” on the night of the shooting, according to charging documents. Burger was ordered released from custody pending trial in the case presented by the Alton Police Department.
In a separate but similar case, a Collinsville man was also charged on Oct. 10, 2025 with a Class 4 felony count of obstructing justice.
27-year-old James D. Higdon allegedly knowingly lied to police on Sept. 9, 2025 in an effort to obstruct the prosecution of two juvenile suspects involved in a Sept. 3, 2025 shooting in Alton.
Higdon reportedly told police he had a “lack of knowledge concerning the persons he provided transportation in Alton shortly after a shooting” on Sept. 3, 2025, “when, in fact, he is familiar with the individuals he provided transportation.”
The Alton Police Department also presented the case against Higdon, who was also granted pretrial release from custody.
All individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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