Prosecutors: Man charged with killing 8-year-old DeSoto boy tried to hire inmate to kill boy’s mother

DESOTO — Prosecutors say a southern Illinois man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend’s 8-year-old son and trying to kill her attempted to arrange the woman’s murder from jail before his bench trial on Monday.

Marcus Moultrie, 37, of DeSoto, tried to hire a fellow inmate to kill Deborah Snider for $1,500 because it would “help in his case,” court documents allege. It’s the latest shocking detail in a tragedy that rocked the little town of about 1,500 people about six miles north of Carbondale. The family also had a lengthy history with child welfare services, with an Illinois Department of Children and Family Services caseworker last making contact with the family just hours before the deadly attack on May 13.

The alleged plot included instructions for finding Snider on Facebook, code words for collecting the money from Moultrie’s mother, and a written agreement signed by Moultrie that he passed to the inmate in a neighboring cell who he hoped would carry out the murder upon his release from jail, according to court records.

Jackson County Presiding Circuit Judge Ralph Bloodworth ruled Thursday that prosecutors may introduce evidence of the alleged murder-for-hire plot during Moultrie’s trial.

Moultrie faces two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder stemming from the May 13 attack on Snider and her son, Leland “Lee” Arnett, who was described in his obituary as a quick-witted child with a big smile and sweet eyes who loved frogs, the color green, helicopters, cars and Cybertrucks.

Three other children were living in the home, ages 11, 6 and 1. The 11-year-old sibling called 911, then ran to a neighbor’s house to get help. Authorities arrived to find both Snider and Leland beaten with a softball bat and seriously injured. They were airlifted to a St. Louis hospital. Leland died four days later. Snider, though she suffered serious injuries and spent weeks in critical care, survived the beating.

Casey Bloodworth, sworn in as a special assistant Jackson County state’s attorney to prosecute the case, told the judge Thursday that a fellow Jackson County Jail inmate recently came forward with new information about Moultrie.

Bloodworth said the inmate, identified in court records only as Cooperating Witness 1, told investigators that Moultrie had provided the inmate with “incredibly detailed information” about his actions during the May attack.

Moultrie then made “overt statements” that he wanted the inmate to kill Snider, Bloodworth said. He told the inmate he had uncashed checks that could be used to pay him and offered $1,500 to find and kill Snider.

The alleged plan was elaborate and documented, Bloodworth told the judge. Prosecutors say Moultrie provided his mother’s name and telephone number and advised the inmate of code words he could use to collect the money. Moultrie planned to tell his mother the payment was for disposing of some of his property, according to the state’s filing.

Prosecutors say the agreement was eventually handwritten and signed by Moultrie.

Celeste Korando, Moultrie’s public defender, questioned the other inmate’s credibility during Thursday’s court hearing, noting his lengthy criminal history and suggesting he may have come forward in hopes of gaining favor with prosecutors to lighten his own sentence on charges he faces. She also questioned aspects of the plan, including whether Moultrie could even give the inmate enough specifics to carry it out since he didn’t know where Snider had been living after she moved out of the trailer in DeSoto where the attack occurred.

Bloodworth said the payment included finding Snider and that Moultrie gave the inmate tips for using Facebook to do so. The inmate told authorities he wanted nothing in return but was simply shocked by what he’d been told and asked to do. Bloodworth told the court the inmate was compelled by his own “moral compass” and wanted nothing but “justice for Leland Arnett.”

Korando declined further comment on the case. A Daily Egyptian reporter attempted to conduct a video visit with Moultrie at the jail, but jail staff declined to make him available for comment.

Judge Bloodworth, who is not related to prosecutor Casey Bloodworth, ruled the evidence in the alleged murder-for-hire scheme admissible. Prosecutors argue the alleged attempt to silence Snider is relevant to Moultrie’s intent and “consciousness of guilt.” The ruling allows prosecutors to present the allegations at trial; it is not a ruling that the alleged murder-for-hire plot occurred, and no separate charges have been filed.

The murder case has also raised questions about the family’s prior involvement with child welfare services.

Illinois DCFS spokeswoman Heather Tarczan said the last contact with the family came on May 13, the day of the attack. Snider reached out to a caseworker to provide an “informal update,” Tarczan said.

The attack occurred later that night.

The agency has not disclosed what Snider said or how the conversation occurred, other than that it was not in person. Snider had been trying to leave the home and gave the caseworker an update on her attempts to find a new place to rent, according to sources intimately familiar with the family.

The last in-person visit with the family was April 3 — 39 days before the attack.

Sen. Terri Bryant, R-Murphysboro, whose district neighbors DeSoto, said the case is heartbreaking and raises bigger questions for the child welfare agency. She has been engaged in ongoing meetings with DCFS, alongside area state’s attorneys, judges and law enforcement, trying to address “how bad their system is” in delivering help to families that need it, including to mothers trying to escape domestic violence.

Snider also had a child welfare case in Iowa before moving to Illinois.

Tarczan said DCFS received a report from law enforcement on May 14 and has cooperated with the investigation. She told Capitol News Illinois on June 1 that the agency was working to provide a comprehensive timeline of its contacts with Leland and his family, as the agency has typically provided in cases where a child dies after involvement with the department. Five months later, despite repeated requests, DCFS has not provided that timeline.

Sources with knowledge of the family said its DCFS history was far more extensive and included an Intact Family Services case where a caseworker was assigned to regularly visit the home and help with parenting needs. That ended about a year prior.

Snider has faced a long road to recovery

Snider watched from the back of the courtroom as prosecutors described the alleged plot to kill her, seated beside a friend who rubbed her back during portions of the hearing.

Her friend said the family still faced a tough road and had significant financial needs as they recovered, noting they have a GoFundMe for anyone wishing to help.

Prosecutor Casey Bloodworth told the judge he expected so many interested members of the public to turn out to watch that not everyone may be allowed into the courtroom given its small size.

DeSoto Grade School Superintendent Doug Corzine said in a statement to CNI that Leland’s death was a huge loss for the school, where he was just finishing up the second grade.

“Leland’s bright, gentle young soul brought immense joy, curiosity, and kindness to our school community every single day, leaving an indelible mark on classmates, teachers, and staff alike,” Corzine said in a statement. “We extend our deepest, most profound condolences to the family, friends, and everyone touched by this unimaginable loss, and we ask that the community wrap them in comfort and love.”

Leland’s funeral was held May 28 in Lincoln, Nebraska. His obituary described him as a “protector” who, even at a young age, “stood up for others and defended anyone who needed kindness or care.”

On Friday, Snider said she hopes to tell her full story after the trial, but until then she has been advised to limit her comments. But she wanted to let people know that she would appreciate a show of support from the community next week.

“The ultimate goal is justice for Lee,” she said of the child she lost.

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.