St. Peter Teen is guilty about the shooting of 14-year-old Salem Boy

An 18-year-old man from St. Peter guilty in front of the court in Fayette County on the death of a 14-year Dakota branch of Salem on January 20, 2024.

Kaden Phillips received a total of 12 years in prison after being guilty of a crime in class 1 to relieve a severe discharge of a firearm and class 3 of the involuntary homicide. He was originally due to the first degree murder and tried first degree murder.

According to Illinois State Police, Branch was shot in a house in the 700 Block of the North 2200 Street in St. Peter. Phillips initially fled out of the scene, but was later taken into custody. Phillips was at the time of the shootout 17, but was charged as an adult. He has been in custody since his arrest, first in a youth facility and later in the Fayette County prison.

Branch was declared dead by the Coroner by Fayette County at the crime scene.

A 12-year prison sentence was handed down due to the severe discharge of a firearm, with the five-year term running for involuntary homicide at the same time. He must provide 85 percent of the involuntary charges against homicide and 50 percent because of the involuntary manslaughter anchor. He has to take a year on mandatory supervision as soon as he is out of prison.

Branch was an 8th grade student at Franklin Park Middle School in Salem when the shootout took place.