Timothy Beaty, a 41-year-old white male and local drummer, was killed on March 27, 2016, in Carbondale, Illinois. He was attending a party at 402 West Walnut Street hosted by the Phi Beta Sigma graduate fraternity when gunfire broke out. Beaty was struck by a stray bullet while trying to protect two Southern Illinois University student-athletes who had been caught in the crossfire; his actions prevented further injury to those students but proved fatal for him.

Investigators recovered multiple spent casings from two different firearms and traced shots to an altercation that spilled into neighboring yards. Two men were identified in the probe: John F. Ingram, 23, of St. Louis, and Travis Tyler of Cape Girardeau. Ballistics and the investigation concluded Beaty was killed by a bullet from Tyler’s gun. Ingram later pleaded guilty to aggravated discharge of a firearm and was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison. Tyler was convicted by a Jackson County jury of first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, and aggravated discharge of a firearm; sentencing was pending in the last reports.

Beaty is remembered in Carbondale for both his music and the selfless act that cost him his life. If anyone has information about that night or knew Timothy, please share what you know.