Hannibal man facing attempted first-degree murder charge from 2022 denied pretrial release

QUINCY — A Hannibal man wanted on attempted first-degree murder charges since August 2022 was denied pretrial release during his first appearance Monday afternoon in Adams County Circuit Court.

Jayshon A. Levy, 21, appeared with Public Defender Mark Taylor before Judge Josh Jones. He has been charged with one count of attempted first-degree murder, a Class X felony punishable for between six and 30 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, and three counts of aggravated domestic battery, a Class 2 felony punishable for between three and seven years in prison.

Detectives with the Quincy Police Department developed information leading them to believe Levy was in the Phoenix area. Detectives and members of the West Central Illinois Task Force traveled May 29 to Phoenix to find Levy. They worked with a joint violent crimes task force to apprehend Levy on Thursday, May 30.

Levy was held in the Maricopa County Jail in Phoenix, then extradited to the Marion County (Mo.) Jail. A warrant was issued for his arrest on June 18 for a parole violation. Levy had been found guilty of possession of a controlled substance and sentenced to seven years in the Missouri Department of Corrections on Feb. 8, 2022. However, he received a suspended execution of that sentence and was placed on five years of probation.

Charging documents filed in Adams County Circuit Court alleged Levy committed attempted first-degree murder by strangling Abigail Stegeman, holding her head underwater, hitting her with a shower curtain rod and holding a knife to her throat on Aug. 31, 2022. He allegedly committed aggravated domestic battery when he punched Stegeman in the face, breaking her eye socket, on Aug. 15, 2022, then putting his hands on her throat and hitting her about the body on Aug. 31, 2022.

“This is about as severe of a domestic case as the court is going to see,” Assistant State’s Attorney Ryan Parker said. “It’s very dangerous conduct, and he could have killed the victim. … The potential of (Levy being) a great threat is posed to the victim’s life. There is no less restrictive means available to the court other than to detain him.

“She continues to fear for her life.”

Taylor said the case looks awful on the surface. However, he said the case lacks evidence.

“He’s been accused of holding this lady’s head underwater,” Taylor said. “We don’t have water. We don’t have anything. No one saw it at all. So this entire charge is based on allegations.”

Taylor said he has no medical reports proving Stegeman’s eye socket was broken or that Levy hit her about the body.

“A medical report would go a long way to proving that or at least give us some indication that (Levy) was the one causing this,” Taylor argued.

Taylor said Levy is a union carpenter with a full-time job that he would lose if he was detained in jail. 

“He’s not asking to be exonerated of these crimes,” Taylor said. “He wants to come to court to face his accuser. Is there enough to deny him pretrial release based on allegations alone? I would say no. … What we don’t need to do is incarcerate this person and create a problem, create someone losing their job, become desperate and might do something silly.”

Taylor asked for Levy to have an ankle monitor and be released.

“I appreciate counsel’s argument that these are just allegations, and certainly that is true,” Jones said. “But for today’s purposes, it’s not a trial, and proof (doesn’t have) to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Allegations are sufficient for today’s purposes. In fact, that’s what 90 percent of cases under the Pretrial Fairness Act are — allegations.”

Jones noted that marks on Stegeman’s face and neck were in a report filed by the Quincy Police Department, and the curtain rod and 12-inch knife Levy allegedly held to her throat were recovered at the scene.

“There is certainly other evidence that would tend to give support along with her statement as to what had occurred,” Jones said in denying pretrial release.

When Jones asked Levy if he understood his appeal rights, Levy replied, “I don’t know why I’m getting detained, honestly. I have two children. One of them was born 15 days ago, and I haven’t even got to meet him. I’m not a threat to the community. I don’t have any priors (or) any violent history at all.”

“Mr. Levy, I appreciate what you’re saying,” Jones said. “But that’s not a part of today’s case. The court has made its ruling as far as detention.”

A status hearing was scheduled for July 29.