The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of SIU at Carbondale. Except during vacations and exam weeks, The Daily Egyptian is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and TWThF during the summer semester."

Suspects in home invasion caught

Alex Brnilovich felt like he was in a dream-but after two armed men entered his friend's apartment on July 11, he knew it was real. He had no idea that his car would lead police back to the two men more than two months later.

Brnilovich, a senior in business management, and four of his friends were watching television when the two men came into the unlocked apartment at 509 S. Beveridge Street around 9:30 p.m.

One of the men held the victims at gunpoint while the other searched through the residence. They forced the victims to lie on the floor while they fled.

The two men took everyone's phones, keys and wallets, Brnilovich said. Police estimated the total loss at $400.

Former SIUC student Carlton Wright, 19, of Maywood was named as a suspect. He was also wanted on a previous warrant for an attempted home invasion on College Street in February.

Wright was not found until Sept. 18 when he was arrested by the Plainfield New Jersey Police Department on an unrelated weapons charge. Carbondale Police Lt. John Sytsma said Wright remains incarcerated pending extradition to Jackson County.

After the July incident, Brnilovich "thought the whole ordeal was over with," but he was wrong.

On Sept. 19, his 2003 Acura was stolen from the parking lot of his apartment complex.

"I was totally surprised, but I figured it was them," he said. "But I don't know how they found my car because I moved."

Four days later, Brnilovich's car was recovered by the Chicago Police Department. Levore Jones, 21, of Bellwood occupied the stolen vehicle. Jones remains incarcerated in Chicago.

Sytsma said a detective from the Carbondale Police Department went to Chicago to further investigate. As a result, new Jackson County warrants were issued charging both Wright and Jones with home invasion and residential burglary stemming from the July 11 incident.

Jones was also charged with motor vehicle theft in reference to Brnilovich's vehicle. Bail on each warrant was set at $100,000 and Sytsma said if the two men do not fight the extradition, they should return within a few days. However, if they fight the extradition, Sytsma said, "it might take a couple weeks at the most."

Brnilovich said he was thrilled to hear his car was recovered and both Wright and Jones were found. However, after picking up his recovered car in Chicago, he drove it back to his hometown of Naperville and left it there.

"I don't want to have to deal with this again," he said. "I just hope they get what they deserve."

 

 

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