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Trial to begin for man accused of killing Galesburg woman on Easter morning

Jonathan Kelly is accused of shooting and killing 26-year-old Jenni McGruder, an innocent bystander and a mother of two.
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GALESBURG, Illinois - The trial for a man accused of killing a Galesburg woman on Easter morning in 2018 is expected to begin on February 19.

Jonathan Kelly, 29, is charged with three-counts of first-degree murder, one count of aggravated discharge of a firearm, and one count of possession of a weapon by a felon.

He is accused of shooting 26-year-old Jenni McGruder.

McGruder was a mother of two, who police have described as being "in the wrong place at the the wrong time," when she was gunned down by a single bullet outside of the Seminary Street Pub in Galesburg.

Police reported that a fight broke out inside the bar, spilled out into an alley, and that's where McGruder was shot.

Kelly then led police on a nationwide manhunt lasting nearly two months before he was arrested by U.S. Marshals in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Kelly has appeared and court and pleaded not guilty.

Jury selection was expected to begin on Feb. 19 and reports have said that Kelly could face up to life in prison if found guilty.

Prosecutors say the trial could last the rest of this week, and run into early next week before a decision is made.

WQAD News 8 will provide updates to this trial as they become available.

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