WE'LL SE
"NOW YOUR
"NOW YOUR FORECAST FIRST...
SPONSORED BY MATTEX HEATING
AND COOLING." Tonight Isolated
showers and thunderstorms
after midnight. Mostly cloudy,
with a low around 71. South
southeast wind 5 to 7 mph.
Chance of precipitation is
20%. Wednesday Scattered
showers and thunderstorms,
mainly after 4pm. Partly
sunny, with a high near 90.
Heat index values as high as
102. West southwest wind 6 to
11 mph, with gusts as high as
16 mph. Chance of
precipitation is 40%.
((AARON)) IT WAS A DAY OF HIGH
EMOTION. HOW A MOTHER AND
FATHER REMEMERED YINGYING
ZHANG AS THE SENTENCING PHASE
CONTINUED HERE IN PEORIA.
A MAN IS ACCUSED OF HOMICIDE
AFTER LEADING POLICE ON A
MULTI-COUNTY CHASE. WHY THE
22-YEAR- OLD WHO WAS KILLED
WAS NOT THE ONLY DEATH. "She
says they're quite a few of
them." THERE'S A PROBLEM IN
ONE CENTRAL ILLINOIS TOWN.
WHAT SOME SAY, HAS GOTTEN OUT
OF CONTROL
FROM YOUR LOCAL NEWSLEADER,
THIS IS THE WCIA 3 NEWS AT
SIX.
((PAUL)) IT WAS THE MOST
EMOTIONAL DAY SO FAR OF BRENDT
CHRISTENSEN'S TRIAL.. JURORS
HEARD TEARFUL TESTIMONY FROM
YINGYING ZHANG'S PARENTS. GOOD
EVENING... I'M PAUL CICCHINI
((JESSICA)) AND I'M JESSICA
KUNZ, JENNIFER IS OFF TONIGHT.
IT WAS A TOUGH DAY FOR THE
JURY THAT WILL DECIDE WHETHER
CHRISTENSEN GETS LIFE IN
PRISON OR THE DEATH PENALTY.
TWO WEEKS AGO, CHRISTENSEN WAS
FOUND GUILTY OF KIDNAPPING AND
KILLING U OF I SCHOLAR
YINGYING ZHANG IN 2017. TODAY
HER FATHER TOOK THE STAND.
WCIA THREES AARON EADES IS
LIVE IN PEORIA...WHERE THE
SENTENCING PHASE OF THE TRIAL
IS HAPPENING. AARON-- EMOTIONS
GOT SO INTENSE, A JUROR HAD TO
LEAVE THE COURTROOM TODAY.
((AARON)) SHE WENT TO THE
BATHROOM TO CRY, PROMPTING THE
JUDGE TO CALL FOR A BREAK.
YINGYING'S FATHER RONGGAO
ZHANG BROKE DOWN ON THE
STAND-- WE SAW A TEARFUL VIDEO
OF HIS WIFE DESCRIBING THEIR
DAUGHTER-- AND FOR THE FIRST
TIME, BRENDT CHRISTENSEN
HIMSELF LOOKED DOWN AND CRIED.
YINGYING'S BOYFRIEND AND
BROTHER BOTH TESTIFIED--
SAYING HER DEATH CHANGED THEIR
LIVES FOREVER. HER DAD
DESCRIBED HER AS OUTGOING,
HARD- WORKING, AND GENEROUS.
WHEN HE STARTED TO CRY ON THE
STAND-- CHRISTENSEN ALSO BROKE
DOWN. DURING A VIDEO OF
TESTIMONY FROM YINGYING'S
MOTHER-- SHE SAID: "HOW AM I
SUPPOSED TO CARRY ON? I REALLY
DON'T KNOW HOW TO CARRY ON
WITHOUT HER." RONGGAO ZHANG
ECHOED THAT SAME SENTIMENT.
((AARON)) THAT WASN'T ALL WE
HEARD IN COURT TODAY. FEDERAL
PROSECUTORS PLAYED SEVERAL
RECORDED PHONE CALLS BETWEEN
CHRISTENSEN AND HIS WIFE AND
PARENTS WHILE HE WAS IN JAIL.
HE ASSERTES HIS INNOCENCE,
CALLING THE ACCUSATIONS
AGAINST HIM "POLITICAL". HE
TOLD HIS THEN- WIFE HE WAS
CONCERNED ABOUT THE RECORDINGS
HIS FORMER GIRLFRIEND TERRA
BULLIS MADE OF HIM BRAGGING
ABOUT KILLING ZHANG. KNOWING
THEY WOULD BE PLAYED AT HIS
TRIAL, HE SAID "THINK OF WHAT
THE NEWS IS GOING TO DO WITH
THAT...I'M NOT GONNA LOOK
GOOD." AND SPEAKING OF
BULLIS-- WE ALSO HEARD A
RECORDING OF A CALL BETWEEN
CHRISTENSEN AND HIS EX-WIFE
FROM JUST TWO AND A HALF WEEKS
AGO. ON THE DAY BULLIS WAS
SCHEDULED TO TESTIFY--
MICHELLE ZORTMAN CALLED HER
SOME CHOICE WORDS, SAYING "I
HOPE SHE *ING PASSES OUT UP
THERE...AND HAS TO BE CARRIED
OUT OF THE COURTROOM ON A
STRETCHER UNCONSCIOUS."
CHRISTENSEN FOUGHT BACK
LAUGHTER AND TOLD MICHELLE HE
COULDN'T COMMENT. PROSECUTORS
HAVE BEEN TRYING TO SHOW A
LACK OF REMORSE.
((AARON)) THEY ARE EXPECTED TO
REST THEIR CASE TOMORROW
MORNING. THEN THE DEFENSE WILL
MAKE THEIRS-- STARTING WITH
CHRISTENSEN'S FATHER. THAT
SHOULD KICK OFF SEVERAL MORE
DAYS OD TESTIMONY. LIVE IN
PEORIA AARON EADES WCIA THREE
YLNL THANKS AARON
((JESSICA)) THIS IS A FOLLOW-
UP FROM YESTERDAY FIRST-DEGREE
CHARGES ARE EXPECTED TO BE
FILED TOMORROW AGAINST A MAN
ACCUSED OF KILLING HIS ON-
AND-OFF-AGAIN- GIRLFRIEND.
((PAUL)) DEVEN BARGER IS IN
CUSTODY IN CONNECTION TO
SAMANTHA CUSHING'S DEATH.
CUSHING WAS FOUND DEAD INSIDE
A HOME IN SHELBYVILLE AROUND
8:15 YESTERDAY MORNING. THE
SHELBY COUNTY CORONER SAYS...
SHE LIKELY DIED BETWEEN 2 AND
6 THAT MORNING. TODAY --
PEOPLE WHO KNEW CUSHING ARE
SHARING MORE ABOUT HER.
W-C-I-A 3'S COURTNEY BUNTING
IS LIVE IN THE NEWSROOM.
COURTNEY -- DO THEY KNOW HOW
SHE DIED?
((COURTNEY)) I JUST TALKED TO
THE SHELBY COUNTY CORONER. HE
SAID THAT INVESTIGATION IS
STILL HAPPENING... BUT THEY
EXPECT TO KNOW SOMETIME
TOMORROW. THEY TOLD ME CUSHING
WAS FOUND INSIDE THE HOME
AFTER POLICE WERE CALLED THERE
FOR A "POSSIBLE INCIDENT"
A WONDERFUL PERSON WITH A BIG
HEART WHO LOVED HER FATHER...
ALL THINGS USED TO DESCRIBE
SAMANTHA CUSHING... A GRADUATE
OF PANA HIGH SCHOOL. THE
22-YEAR-OLD WAS FOUND DEAD
INSIDE THIS SHELBYVILLE HOME.
FRIENDS SAY SHE WAS SIX MONTHS
PREGNANT. AFTER SHE WAS
KILLED... POLICE TRIED TO STOP
HER ON-AND-OFF-AGAIN BOYFRIEND
DEVEN BARGER. BARGER WAS OUT
ON PAROLE AT THE TIME FOR
CHARGES OF FIREARM
POSSESSION... AGGRAVATED
BATTERY AGAINST POLICE... AND
FLEEING POLICE. BARGER LED
POLICE ON A HIGH- SPEED CHASE
STARTING IN EFFINGHAM AND
ENDING IN TAYLORVILLE. HE AND
CUSHING'S 3-YEAR-OLD CHILD WAS
IN THE CAR AT THE TIME.
FRIENDS OF CUSHING TOLD WCIA
ABOUT CONCERNS THEY HAD
INVOLVING HER RELATIONSHIP
WITH BARGER. LUKE MASSEY
SAID... "It
cause I wish she got away from
him when he was in prison and
he shouldn
out of prison with his violent
criminal history." ANOTHER
BROUGHT UP SIMILAR CONCERNS,
MENTIONING... "One of the last
real talks I had with her was
me telling her not to get back
with him when he got out. She
always told me she wouldn
but I knew she wouldn
able to stay away."
((COURTNEY)) I REACHED OUT TO
DOVE, INC... A PLACE IN SHELBY
COUNTY THAT PROVIDES SERVICES
FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS.
THEY COULDN'T SPEAK
SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THIS
SITUATION. BUT SAID THEY WANT
TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT REACHING
OUT FOR HELP IS NOTHING TO BE
ASHAMED OF. THANKS COURTNEY
((PAUL)) BARGER IS DUE IN
COURT TOMORROW. BARGER HAD
BEEN ON PAROLE SINCE DECEMBER
2018. THE CHARGES HE HAD BEEN
ON PAROLE FOR DATE BACK TO
MARCH 20-17.
((PAUL)) A MAN WAS FOUND DEAD
IN HIS CAR IN EDGAR COUNTY AND
THE CORONER SAYS... IT WAS
MOST LIKELY BECAUSE OF HEAT
STROKE. A HOMEOWNER WAS
LETTING 66 YEAR OLD DAVID LONG
LIVE IN THE ATTIC OF A HOME ON
NORTH JEFFERSON STREET IN
PARIS. TEMPERATURES IN THERE
COULD REACH 140 DEGREES DURING
THE RECENT HEAT WAVE. LONG
WOULD LEAVE THE ATTIC AND SIT
IN HIS CAR TO ESCAPE THE HEAT.
HE WAS FOUND UNRESPONSIVE IN
HIS CAR LAST WEEK.
((JESSICA)) DECATUR POLICE ARE
INVESTIGATING A BEATING THAT
SENT A WOMAN TO THE HOSPITAL.
THE WOMAN WAS FOUND UNCONCIOUS
ON NORTH WATER STREET IN
DECATUR LATE LAST MONTH.
POLICE HAVE YET TO RELEASE THE
IDENTITY OF THE WOMAN OR ANY
SUSPECTS. THEY DID SAY... THE
LAST TIME POLICE VISITED HER
IN THE HOSPITAL... SHE WAS
ABLE TO HOLD CONVERSATIONS.
((JESSICA)) THE MACON COUNTY
SHERIFF IS LOOKING FOR A
SUSPECT IN AN ANIMAL CRUELTY
CASE. POLICE SAY DALTON
SKINNER BEAT A DOG AND LEFT IT
NEAR-DEATH IN A BATH TUB. HE
PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO
AGGRAVATED ANIMAL CRUELTY IN
APRIL. SKINNER DIDN'T SHOW UP
TO HIS COURT DATE IN MAY. THE
MACON COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
DOES NOT HAVE A LEAD ON WHERE
HE IS. THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE
TOOK CARE OF THE DOG. IT HAS
SINCE BEEN ADOPTED.
((JESSICA)) A WOMAN IN DOUGLAS
COUNTY SAYS ONE AREA IS
OVERRUN WITH CATS AND SHE
WANTS SOMETHING TO BE DONE
ABOUT IT. ((PAUL)) THE DOUGLAS
COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER SAYS...
IT DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH SPACE
TO HOLD STRAYS IN THE AREA.
IT'S ASKING FOR THE
COMMUNITY'S SUPPORT IN ARCOLA
TO GET THE ANIMALS OFF THE
STREETS. W-C-I-A 3'S JAMIE
MAYES IS HERE. JAMIE -- HOW
BIG OF A PROBLEM IS THIS?
((JAMIE)) WE ONLY SAW A FEW
CATS TODAY... BUT WORKERS AT
THE SHELTER SAY THEY HAVE SO
MANY CATS COME IN THAT
SOMETIMES THEY HAVE TO TAKE
SOME HOME JUST SO THE ANIMALS
HAVE A PLACE TO STAY. A WOMAN
I SPOKE TO SAID HER NEIGHBORS
HAVE SEEN DOZENS NEAR A PLANT
IN THE AREA. DOUGLAS COUNTY
ANIMAL SHELTER SAYS THEY HAVE
HAD COMPLAINTS OF CATS NEAR
LIBMAN'S MANUFACTURING PLANT.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST THERE. IT'S
ALL OVER THE COUNTY. THE
SHELTER HAS 6 KENNELS. THEY
HAVE ANYWHERE FROM 9 TO 10
CATS. ONE WOMAN SAYS HER
NEIGHBOR HAS SEEN AS MANY AS
50 CATS DURING THE WINTER.
DEBBIE INGRAM/ARCOLA: "She's
been buying giant bags of cat
food. Said that they multiply.
They have little kittens and
that they put giant piles of
food out for them. And she
says they're quite a few of
them." DOUGLAS COUNTY ANIMAL
SHELTER SAYS THEY WANT PET
OWNERS TO HAVE THEIR CATS
SPAYED AND NEUTERED TO CONTROL
REPRODUCTION. THERE IS
SOMETHING OTHERS CAN DO TO
HELP.
((JAMIE)) ADOPT. THEY WANT
PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SPACE AND
WANT TO TAKE IN A CAT TO THINK
ABOUT DOING IT. THEY COULD
REALLY USE THE SUPPORT. BACK
TO YOU. THANKS JAMIE
((PAUL)) DOUGLAS COUNTY ANIMAL
CONTROL SAYS... IT USUALLY
SEES A SPIKE IN CATS AND
KITTENS THIS TIME OF YEAR. IT
SAYS... IT'S AN ISSUE SHELTERS
THROUGHOUT THE NATION ARE
EXPERIENCNG.
((PAUL)) A MAN WENT TO THE
HOSPITAL AFTER HIS CAR CRASHED
IN WEST CHAMPAIGN. IT HAPPENED
RIGHT AROUND THE I-72 - I-57
INTERCHANGE IN CHAMPAIGN AT
1:30 THIS AFTERNOON. STATE
POLICE SAY ... THE MAN WAS
CARRIED AWAY ON A STRETCHER
AND TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. NO
WORD ON HOW BADLY HE WAS HURT.
STATE POLICE WEREN'T SURE HOW
THE CAR CRASHED OR WHAT THE
CIRCUMSTANCES INVOLVED.
((JESSICA)) A FAMILIAR FACE
FROM CHAMPAIGN'S FINEST IS
RETIRING. SERGEANT THOMAS
FROST WAS SWORN INTO THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT IN 1991.
HE'S BEEN A COMMUNITY POLICING
OFFICER AND HOSTAGE
NEGOTIATOR. HE WAS AWARDED THE
DEPARTMENTS HIGHEST HONOR --
THE MEDAL OF VALOR -- IN 2005.
TODAY WAS HIS LAST DAY ON THE
JOB.
((PAUL)) IT'S A STORE PEOPLE
HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR - FOR
YEARS, WHAT MIGHT JUST BECOME
A REALITY AS EARLY AS TONIGHT.
((JESSICA)) ALSO TONIGHT, JOSH
WHITMAN: "It would be great to
have the basketball tournament
back here" AND A LOT OF PEOPLE
BELIEVE THAT COULD HAPPEN.
WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR
I-H-SA BOYS FINAL 4 AND IT'S
POSSIBLE RETURN TO CHAMPAIGN-
URBANA. Tonight Isolated
showers and thunderstorms
after midnight. Mostly cloudy,
with a low around 71. South
southeast wind 5 to 7 mph.
Chance of precipitation is
20%. Wednesday Scattered
showers and thunderstorms,
mainly after 4pm. Partly
sunny, with a high near 90.
Heat index values as high as
102. West southwest wind 6 to
11 mph, with gusts as high as