A Roodhouse man charged for first degree murder in Macoupin County for the death of an infant in 2020 was acquitted by a jury this week.
29 year old Allan Castleberry Jr. of Roodhouse was accused of striking 23 month old Gracie Ellen Rose Nance of Carlinville’s head against a wall on February 3, 2020. Nance would die on February 5, 2020 at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital.
Castleberry was the live-in boyfriend of the child’s mother Courtney L. Rice of Carlinville who reported the child not breathing to 9-1-1.
According to the Macoupin County Enquirer-Democrat, Castleberry’s trial lasted for four days with the jury returning the verdict on Tuesday after 30 minutes of deliberation. Castleberry was facing 20-60 years in prison.
WLDS News has reached out to Macoupin County State’s Attorney Jordan Garrison for comment. Garrison took over the case in 2020 after he won election against Jennifer Watson who originally brought the charges against Castleberry while still in office.
This story will be updated.