One teen pleads not guilty to first-degree murder of Bushnell man; second teen involved to have fitness evaluation

MACOMB, Ill. — One Bushnell teen entered a plea of not guilty to two charges of first-degree murder during an arraignment on Wednesday afternoon, but another Bushnell teen facing the same charges will have a fitness evaluation before he enters a plea.

Nicholas Lafary, 17, appeared first before Judge Nigel Graham with attorney Andrew Stuckart in McDonough County Circuit Court. Lafary waived his right to a preliminary hearing, and he pled not guilty when he was arraigned.

A pre-trial hearing was set for 11 a.m. Aug. 14 for Lafary.

Davin Purden, 18, then appeared next before Graham. Public Defender Stephanie Hilton opened the hearing by saying a preliminary hearing couldn’t take place because of a motion for the determination of Purden’s fitness that is on file.

“I would note that the motion is fairly bare bones as to how the concern was developed,” Assistant State’s Attorney Susan Maxwell said. “Perhaps there’s some short statement as to how the issue arose.”

“I can’t share specifics of what my client has shared with me or what he has said,” Hilton said. “There’s confidentiality and, for obvious reasons, I do not care to disclose any of those, nor have I been authorized to. What I can say is that the defendant has disclosed auditory hallucinations, he displayed poor recall, and I have questions about his cognitive function.”

Both attorneys agreed for Dr. Joel Eckert to conduct the examination. Graham set a status hearing on that report for July 24.

Graham said told Lafary he faced a minimum of 40 years to a maximum of life in the Illinois Department of Corrections if he were found guilty on either charge. Purden faces the same charges.

Illinois State Police investigators conducted a death investigation June 2 in the 600 block of Osbourne Street in Bushnell. During the investigation, Travis Purden, 43, was found dead in his residence with multiple gunshot wounds. After ISP officials reviewed surveillance camera footage and conducted interviews, his son, Davin, and Lafary were identified as suspects. 

Patricia Purden, Travis Purden’s wife, had a preliminary hearing on June 21. She is facing a felony charge of obstructing justice in her husband’s death. 

During Patricia Purden’s preliminary hearing, Timothy Becket, an investigator with the major crimes unit for the Illinois State Police, testified that Davin Purden admitted during a June 5 interview he had shot his father in the head. Becket also testified that after the shooting, Davin Purden rode with his mother, a juvenile female and LaFary in a car to the residence of Michael Lock’s parents outside Avon (approximately a 10-mile drive from Bushnell). The gun used to shoot Travis Purden was given to Lock with the intention of him disposing it.

Becket testified that Patricia Purden had told him that her son admitted to shooting Travis Purden.

Lafary and Davin Purden are in the McDonough County Jail, each on $2 million bond.