Ernest Lee Wren Jr., 30, was shot and killed in Decatur, Illinois, on October 25, 2019. He was found dead in the 900 block of N. Van Dyke; the coroner confirmed a gunshot wound as the cause of death and an autopsy was scheduled the next day. A 26-year-old man suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the same incident and was taken to a hospital.

Wren was born August 29, 1989, in Peoria and worked most recently at Bernardi’s Pub in Dunlap. He is survived by his parents, Mary Ann Wright of Decatur and Ernest Lee Wren Sr. of Peoria, a daughter, Ka’Leah Yates Wren, and four sons, Gavin, Tariq, Kylan and Kyran Wren. The Decatur Police Department identified Deonta M. Merriweather as the suspect and charged him with first-degree murder; he was held in the Macon County Jail while the investigation continued.

If anyone has information about what happened on October 25, 2019, in the 900 block of N. Van Dyke, please contact the Criminal Investigations Division or Crime Stoppers.