Murder charges issued in death of elderly Alton man

ALTON - An Alton man - Eugene L. Johnson - has been charged in the death of 79-year-old, Bobby Depper, also of Alton.

Today, the Madison County State’s Attorney charged Eugene L. Johnson with First Degree Murder for this incident. Johnson is currently in custody at the Alton Jail and his bond was set at $500,000 by the honorable Judge Napp, according to a release.

Alton Police began an investigation during the early morning hours of Friday, Aug. 3, 2018, after paramedics were called to the 1100 block of Vernie for an elderly male who was seriously injured. Investigators conducted multiple interviews and spoke with medical professionals, but there was not enough evidence to support criminal charges at that time.

Shortly after that incident, Riverbender.com reported the injured man was not stabbed or shot, and police stated criminal charges were not expected at that time. As the investigation progressed, it was evident that Depper was injured by a guest in his home during the course of an altercation.

On Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018, however, Depper died as a result of those injuries. On Monday, Aug. 13, 2018, an autopsy was completed by the St. Louis City Medical Examiner’s Office and new evidence was uncovered, reigniting the investigation.

“Alton has one of the best investigative divisions in the area and we don’t quit,” said Alton Police Chief Jason Simmons in a release. “We will never stop investigating an incident. Even if it looks like it’s done, if there is new evidence to examine, we will always take it as far as we can.”

These charges, as well as the statements made herein, are based upon probable cause. All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.Dan Brannan also contributed to this story.

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