Carbondale Alerts
Carbondale Police Press Release - Update 2 Aggravated Battery- Knife
NEWS RELEASE
City of Carbondale, Illinois
August 24, 2026
For Immediate Release
CARBONDALE – On August 21, 2026, at 10:40 p.m., City of Carbondale Police Officers responded to the 100 block of North Washington Street for a reported stabbing. On August 24, 2026, the Jackson County State's Attorney's Office filed murder and unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon charges against Romello Merriweather, in connection with the death of Troy Higgins. Merriweather remains incarcerated in the Jackson County Jail. Anyone with information concerning this incident is encouraged to contact the police department at the numbers listed below. This investigation remains active and ongoing.
Prior Release Update 1: On August 21, 2026, at 10:40 p.m., City of Carbondale Police Officers responded to the 100 block of North Washington Street for a reported stabbing. Officers arrived and located an unconscious male with multiple stab wounds and began rendering aid. The victim was taken by ambulance to the Memorial Hospital of Carbondale for further treatment for life-threatening injuries. The victim, Troy Higgins, 52 of Murphysboro, later succumbed to the injuries sustained during the incident. The second victim was treated for non-life-threatening injuries at Memorial Hospital and later released. The police department extends its heartfelt condolences to the family of Troy Higgins. Anyone with information concerning this incident is encouraged to contact the police department at the numbers listed below. This investigation remains active and ongoing.
Prior Release: On August 21, 2026, at 10:40 p.m., City of Carbondale Police Officers responded to the 100 block of North Washington Street for a reported stabbing. Officers arrived and located an unconscious male with multiple stab wounds and began rendering aid. The victim was taken by ambulance to the Memorial Hospital of Carbondale for further treatment for life-threatening injuries. Officers also located a second stab victim in stable condition who was also taken to the Memorial Hospital of Carbondale for further treatment. Officers quickly located the suspect, Romello T Merriweather, 28, of Carbondale and took him into custody. The investigation revealed that Merriweather and the victims were known acquaintances and had been involved in an altercation at the time of the stabbing. Merriweather was charged with one count of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon by a Felon and two counts of Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon. Anyone with information concerning this incident is encouraged to contact the police department at the numbers listed below. This investigation remains active and ongoing.
Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact the City of Carbondale Police Department at (618) 549-2121. You may also call the Carbondale/SIU Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at (618) 549-COPS (2677) or the Murphysboro/Jackson County anonymous tip line at (618) 687-COPS (2677). Anonymous tips may also be made by selecting the “Crime Stoppers” tab on this website’s main page. Please help yourself and your county, its communities, and the university campus by using these numbers if you witness or have any information about a crime. Cash rewards for information that leads to an arrest are also made anonymously. Remember, crime doesn’t pay, but Crime Stoppers does! For more information about Crime Stoppers, please follow the QR Code.
The mission of the Carbondale Police Department is to work in partnership with our community to preserve life, protect human rights, protect property and improve quality of life by providing police service to all in a fair, sensitive, and professional manner.