Woman pleads guilty to murder charges in Madison County triple homicide
An Alabama woman pleaded guilty on Friday to three counts of first-degree murder for her role in the shooting deaths of three people in a Bethalto home in 2019, the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office has announced.
Brittany McMillan, who had ties to Bethalto before moving to Alabama, pleaded guilty in the deaths of Shari Yates, 59, her son, Andrew Brooks, 30, and John McMillian, 32.
Murder charges are pending against Brady Witcher, 43, of Alabama. He is scheduled to stand trial in January for the deaths.
McMillan, 30, was sentenced on Friday by Madison County Circuit Judge Kyle Napp to serve a life sentence, the maximum available under Illinois law, according to the prosecutor’s office.
Authorities have alleged that Witcher was the gunman in the Bethalto killings and that the killings were not a random act of violence since the victims knew the suspects. Investigators believe the suspects went to the Bethalto home to get another vehicle to avoid police.
Witcher and McMillan were arrested in St. Louis County two years ago.
A leader with the Major Case Squad that investigated the triple homicide in Bethalto in 2019 called Witcher and McMillan “evil individuals.” The killings were described as execution-style.
“These terrible murders shocked the entire Madison County community,” Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine said in a statement Friday. “Our prayers today are especially with the family of the victims, who suffered so much loss and acted with incredible dignity and strength. We hope that the defendant’s guilty plea will begin to provide some closure as we continue to aggressively pursue justice against her co-defendant as well.”
Officials have previously noted that Brittany McMillan’s last name is spelled differently than the Bethalto victim named John McMillian.
Alabama homicide
Witcher and McMillan also were charged with capital murder in 2019 in connection with the shooting death of 31-year-old Kellie Ann Hughes in Jefferson County, Alabama.
Hughes’ body was found in a wooded area five days before the Bethalto victims were found on Dec. 19, 2019.
Misty Reynolds, deputy district attorney in Jefferson County, said Friday that the Jefferson County case against Witcher and McMillan has officially not started yet since the Alabama murder warrants remain outstanding. She added that no plea bargain agreements have been made in the case.
