PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria County Grand Jury has filed murder charges against a teenager being tried as an adult for the strangulation death of his mother several weeks ago.
The grand jury Tuesday filed a formal First-Degree Murder charge against Avion Tapia, 17.
Tapia – whom Peoria County State’s Attorney Jodi Hoos previously said would be tried as an adult – allegedly strangled his 36-year-old mother, Vanessa Tucker, at a home near Wisconsin and Arcadia August 22nd.
Tapia is also believed to be the person to have called 911 to report an unconscious female.
Tapia remains held in juvenile custody, but on $1 million bond. He will be arraigned Thursday.
This was Peoria’s 15th homicide of 2023.
