A 22-year-old woman now faces murder charges in connection with a fatal stabbing last month at a south Bloomington mobile home park.
Brittney Mikesell of Bloomington was indicted Wednesday on nine felony counts, including first-degree murder, aggravated battery, and mob action. Mikesell was allegedly one of the instigators in a violent confrontation Dec. 2 on 23rd Street at the Cardinal Ridge mobile home park. Cullen Hedrick, 21, of Bloomington was stabbed in the chest in the incident and later died at a Twin City hospital.
Prosecutors say Mikesell and Hedrick, her boyfriend, traveled to Cardinal Ridge to fight someone, with Hedrick carrying a machete and wearing a mask or bandana over his face. They allegedly provoked an unidentified man as he arrived at the mobile home park. Prosecutors say Mikesell pepper-sprayed him.
Authorities say the man stabbed a machete-wielding Hedrick in self-defense. That other man has not been charged.
Mikesell was charged with murder because she allegedly took part in the violent felony that resulted in Hedrick's death, said McLean County State’s Attorney Jason Chambers. Prosecutors say Mikesell threw the machete out of the window of a vehicle as they drove Hedrick to the hospital.
Mikesell is also charged with aggravated battery and mob action in connection with a separate incident Nov. 28 at two other mobile home parks in Normal. In those incidents, Hedrick allegedly struck a man with a bat, and another woman was pepper-sprayed.
It’s unclear what exactly led to the fatal confrontation Dec. 2, or how the two episodes are connected. Mikesell also faces a pending aggravated battery charge for allegedly making “contact of an insulting or provoking nature” by spitting on an emergency medical technician on duty during the Dec. 2 incident.
Mikesell is being held on $2 million bond. Prosecutors say Mikesell could face an extended sentence if convicted because of her prior criminal record.
She’s been appointed a public defender and is due back in court Feb. 2.
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