2 are charged for deadly shooting on Springfield's north side

Police arrested and prosecutors charged two men for the shooting death of a man on Wednesday afternoon in north Springfield. Police said the shooting happened after one of the men tried to steal drugs from a companion of the murder victim, and she resisted.

Quincy Owens, 38, and Brandon McGary, 28, each face charges of second-degree murder, first-degree attempted robbery and armed criminal action for the death of Adam Hilburn, 34, of Springfield. A judge set bond at $500,000 for each.

Police say Hilburn was shot in a parking lot between two businesses on Kansas Expressway at Talmage Street. He died at a hospital after his friend, Rebecca Strom, took him there. Police said he was shot in the chest.

The probable cause statement said Strom and Hilburn were at a convenience store on Kearney Street east of Kansas. Strom sold some drugs to someone else, and then Owens approached her and also wanted to buy some drugs. They decided to do the deal elsewhere, and Owens and McGary followed Strom and Hilburn to the parking lot on Kansas.

In the parking lot, Strom told police, Owens walked up to Strom, who was in the driver's seat, put a handgun to her head, and demanded that she give him the drugs. Strom said she grabbed the gun and fought with Owens.

During the struggle, McGary walked up to the passenger side of the SUV, where Hilburn was sitting. Strom said she tried to put the SUV in reverse but Owens kept her from doing so by grabbing the gearshift. She said she finally was able to get the SUV in reverse and backed up a short distance. She said Hilburn told her to drive forward and hit one of the men. As she drove forward, Strom told police, Hilburn was shot, so she kept going and drove to the hospital.

The probable cause statement says witnesses described hearing a "loud pop" and then saw the SUV and a white car leaving at a high rate of speed from the parking lot. Witnesses further described the white sedan to have temporary paper license on it and occupied by at least two black men.

In the bank parking lot, police found a .380 caliber shell casing. Video surveillance cameras at the bank and at the convenience store backed up the story told by Strom and the witnesses.

On Friday, two detectives spotted a white 2005 Buick Lacrosse parked in front of a liquor store on East Commercial Street. It matched the description of the car at the shooting scene on Wednesday. The detectives stopped the car and found McGary and Owens inside. They also found a Ruger LCP .380 semi-automatic handgun with .380 caliber ammunition that matched the shell casing found at the murder scene.

Detectives interviewed Owens and said he denied any involvement in a drug deal with Strom and Hilburn, according to the probable cause statement. He also denied having a gun or shooting Hilburn.

Detectives interviewed McGary and said he admitted being with Owens when Owens tried to buy drugs. He described following Strom and Hilburn to the bank parking lot, Owens getting out of the car with a gun, and putting it to Strom's head. McGary said he got out of the car and went to the passenger side to try to "defuse" the situation. McGary's story matched Strom's story of how she backed up, and then drove forward, and Owens then shot Hilburn.

The probable cause statement also says police found the person who first bought drugs from Strom at the convenience store. Detectives said they showed that person two photo lineups and each time that person identified McGary and Owens as the men who approached Strom in the parking lot on Kearney.

If McGary and Owens are convicted of second-degree murder, they could face prison sentences up to 30 years, and would have to serve at least 85 percent of the sentences. They could get sentences between five and 15 years for attempted robbery, and three years or more for armed criminal action.