Victor Pickel                      Rachel Purkes                  Lee Coke

         Dylan Carroll                     Travis Gregg

Several arrests have been made in connection with a weekend murder in Pana.  According to the office of Christian County States Attorney Mike Havera, the Monday arrests were all on mob action charges. Those arrested for MOB action are 29-year-old Lee M. Coke of Taylorville, 22-year-old Brent L. Musser of Pana, 36-year-old Victor C. Pickel of Pana, 17-year-old Dylan L. Carroll of Pana, 30-year-old Cory O. Scribner of Pana, and 28-year-old Travis M. Gregg of Pana.  Another arrested in connection to the crime was 26-year-old Rachel L. Purkes of Pana, who was arrested for obstructing justice. Havera says the investigation is ongoing, and more arrests might be made.

The victim, 29 year old James “Adam” Bertin of Pana was attending a family get together in memory of his cousin, Jacob Cox, who died in the hospital last week.  Bertin was apparently stabbed in the neck.  It’s still not known what caused the the  incident.

The investigation is being conducted by the Pana Police Department, along with the Christian County Sheriff’s office, the Illinois State Police, and the Chistian County  States Attorney’s Office and the Christian County Coroner’s Office.