Gholston pleads not guilty to murder of Quincy man in his home in February

QUINCY — A Quincy man charged in connection with the February death of another Quincy man in his home pled not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder during his arraignment on Wednesday afternoon in Adams County Circuit Court.

Devere S. Gholston, 27, and a 15-year-old boy were arrested after the beating death of 67-year-old Robert Schmidt on February 17 at his home at 3219 Gross Gables. The Adams County State’s Attorney’s office continues to litigate whether the juvenile will be tried as an adult.

Judge Amy Lannerd said as she read the charges against Gholston that he reportedly struck Schmidt in the head with a firearm to cause his death. Gholston faces between 35 years and 75 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections if he is found guilty on any of the murder counts. 

Gholston also faces a charge of residential burglary, a Class 1 felony, and a charge of robbery, a Class 2 felony.  He could receive between four and 15 years in prison on the burglary charge, and he could receive between three and seven years in prison on the robbery charge. He also could be fined up to $25,000 on each count.

Gholston was scheduled to be arraigned on March 24, but attorneys Babs Brennan and John Citro asked for a continuation so Gholston could be examined for his fitness to stand trial. The fitness issue was withdrawn during Wednesday’s hearing.

Citro stood next to Gholston, who stood in the front row of bench seats in courtroom 1B and answered each of Lannerd’s questions during the arraignment. When Lannerd asked Gholston how he would plea, Citro said, “We would enter a plea of not guilty.”

A status hearing in the case was scheduled for May 4.

Gholston remains in the Adams County Jail on $10 million bond. The teen is being held in the Adams County Juvenile Detention Center.