{
    "title": "Illinois State Police Arrests Two Suspects for First-Degree Murder Following Washington Park Homicide",
    "modified_at": "2026-10-03 19:32:46",
    "published_at": "2026-10-03 19:30:00",
    "url": "https://illinois-state-police.prezly.com/illinois-state-police-arrests-two-suspects-for-first-degree-murder-following-washington-park-homicide",
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    "culture": "en",
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    "slug": "illinois-state-police-arrests-two-suspects-for-first-degree-murder-following-washington-park-homicide",
    "body": "<p style=\"text-align: center\">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</p><p style=\"text-align: center\">October 3, 2026</p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>WASHINGTON PARK </strong>&ndash; Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Criminal Investigation Zone 6 Major Crimes Unit Special Agents arrested 18-year-old Brandon Bland Jr. of East St. Louis for First Degree Murder (Class M Felony) and 19-year-old Maliyah Lancaster of Washington Park for First Degree Murder (Class M Felony) and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon - Machine Gun/Automatic Weapon (Class 2 Felony). </p><p>On August 1, 2026, the Washington Park Police Department requested ISP&rsquo;s assistance to investigate a homicide that occurred at 1500 block of North 46<sup>th</sup> Street in Washington Park at approximately 10:20 p.m. The victim, 22-year-old Eric Swearengen of St. Louis, MO, and a female passenger were stopped at 1422 North 46<sup>th</sup> Street when the shooting occurred. Swearengen attempted to drive away but crashed one block away at 1524 North 46<sup>th</sup> Street. Swearengen was pronounced deceased at the scene. </p><p>During the investigation, ISP Special Agents quickly identified Bland Jr. as the suspect. On August 13, 2026, ISP Special Agents presented the case to the St. Clair County State&rsquo;s Attorney&rsquo;s Office, who approved the above-mentioned charge against Bland Jr. ISP Special Agents later identified Lancaster as an additional suspect. \u200b </p><p>On October 1, 2026, both Bland Jr. and Lancaster were arrested by ISP Special Agents. On October 2, 2026, the St. Clair County State&rsquo;s Attorney&rsquo;s Office approved the above-mentioned charges against Lancaster. </p><p>Bland Jr. and Lancaster remain in custody at the St. Clair County Jail awaiting their first court appearances.</p>\n    <figure\n        class=\"release-content-image release-content-image--contained release-content-image--align-center\"\n        data-component=\"image-zoom-popup\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-selector=\".release-content-image__image\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-i18n=\"data:application/json;base64,eyJEb3dubG9hZCI6IkRvd25sb2FkIn0=\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-tracking-views-event=\"Story Image View\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-tracking-download-event=\"Story Image Download\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-placement=\"content\"\n    >\n        <div class=\"image-thumbnail-rollover\" style=\"width: 100%\">\n            <img\n                src=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/e992bdb6-8e54-4c9f-8b4e-6792babc68d3/-/format/auto/\"\n                                class=\"release-content-image__image image-thumbnail-rollover__image\"\n                data-description=\"Brandon Bland Jr. (M/18)\"\n                id=\"image-e992bdb6-8e54-4c9f-8b4e-6792babc68d3\"\n                data-id=\"e992bdb6-8e54-4c9f-8b4e-6792babc68d3\"\n                data-original=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/e992bdb6-8e54-4c9f-8b4e-6792babc68d3/-/inline/no/Untitled\"\n                data-mfp-src=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/e992bdb6-8e54-4c9f-8b4e-6792babc68d3/-/format/auto/\"\n                alt=\"Brandon Bland Jr. (M/18)\"\n            />\n            <div class=\"image-thumbnail-rollover__caption\">\n                <svg class=\"icon icon-expand image-thumbnail-rollover__caption-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-expand\"></use>\n            </svg>            </div>\n        </div>\n\n        <figcaption class=\"release-content-image__caption\">Brandon Bland Jr. (M/18)</figcaption>\n    </figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"> \u200b \u200b \u200b \u200b \u200b \u200b \u200b \u200b \u200b \u200b \u200b \u200b \u200b \u200b \u200b \u200b \u200b \u200b \u200b \u200b \u200b </p>\n    <figure\n        class=\"release-content-image release-content-image--contained release-content-image--align-center\"\n        data-component=\"image-zoom-popup\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-selector=\".release-content-image__image\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-i18n=\"data:application/json;base64,eyJEb3dubG9hZCI6IkRvd25sb2FkIn0=\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-tracking-views-event=\"Story Image View\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-tracking-download-event=\"Story Image Download\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-placement=\"content\"\n    >\n        <div class=\"image-thumbnail-rollover\" style=\"width: 100%\">\n            <img\n                src=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/7ab0d533-3960-4889-9517-a6ce57834fad/-/format/auto/\"\n                                class=\"release-content-image__image image-thumbnail-rollover__image\"\n                data-description=\"Maliyah Lancaster (F/19)\"\n                id=\"image-7ab0d533-3960-4889-9517-a6ce57834fad\"\n                data-id=\"7ab0d533-3960-4889-9517-a6ce57834fad\"\n                data-original=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/7ab0d533-3960-4889-9517-a6ce57834fad/-/inline/no/Untitled\"\n                data-mfp-src=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/7ab0d533-3960-4889-9517-a6ce57834fad/-/format/auto/\"\n                alt=\"Maliyah Lancaster (F/19)\"\n            />\n            <div class=\"image-thumbnail-rollover__caption\">\n                <svg class=\"icon icon-expand image-thumbnail-rollover__caption-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-expand\"></use>\n            </svg>            </div>\n        </div>\n\n        <figcaption class=\"release-content-image__caption\">Maliyah Lancaster (F/19)</figcaption>\n    </figure>\n<p> </p><p style=\"text-align: center\"><em>The charges are not evidence against the defendants, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.</em></p><p style=\"text-align: center\"><em> </em></p><p style=\"text-align: center\"><em>###</em></p><p style=\"text-align: center\">&nbsp;</p><p style=\"text-align: center\">&nbsp;</p><p style=\"text-align: center\">&nbsp;</p><div class=\"release-content-contact\" id=\"contact-2d8582c3-6660-46ec-be9a-ede92e8776d0\">\n    <div class=\"release-content-contact__avatar\"><img src=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/c186f24e-632d-4a36-87df-aa1eb28e1989/-/crop/425x425/63,0/-/preview/-/scale_crop/128x128/center/-/format/auto/\" alt=\"Illinois State Police\" class=\"release-content-contact__avatar-image\" /></div>\n    <div class=\"release-content-contact__details\">\n        <strong class=\"release-content-contact__name\">Illinois State Police</strong>\n        <em class=\"release-content-contact__description\">Public Information Office, Office of the Director</em>\n        <ul class=\"release-content-contact__details-list\"><li class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item\"><a href=\"mailto:ISP.PIO.Personnel@illinois.gov\"  class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item-link\" title=\"ISP.PIO.Personnel@illinois.gov\"><svg class=\"icon icon-paper-plane release-content-contact__details-list-item-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-paper-plane\"></use>\n            </svg>ISP.PIO.Personnel@illinois.gov</a></li>\n<li class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item\"><a href=\"https://twitter.com/@ILStatePolice\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item-link\" title=\"@ILStatePolice\"><svg class=\"icon icon-twitter release-content-contact__details-list-item-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-twitter\"></use>\n            </svg>@ILStatePolice</a></li>\n<li class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item\"><a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/ILStatePolice/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item-link\" title=\"ILStatePolice\"><svg class=\"icon icon-facebook release-content-contact__details-list-item-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-facebook\"></use>\n            </svg>ILStatePolice</a></li>\n<li class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item\"><a href=\"https://isp.illinois.gov/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item-link\" title=\"isp.illinois.gov\"><svg class=\"icon icon-browser release-content-contact__details-list-item-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-browser\"></use>\n            </svg>isp.illinois.gov</a></li></ul>\n    </div>\n</div><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p>",
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