NASHVILLE (WMIX) – A Belleville man was sentenced to 40 years in prison Tuesday after a Washington County jury found him guilty in October of murder.

Forty-five-year-old Kevin Loucks made motions in court Tuesday requesting another continuance in the case, along with a new trial. However, the judge in the case denied both motions and sentenced Loucks to 40 years in prison after a letter was presented from the mother of Montez Pearson – the East St. Louis man Loucks was convicted of killing in July of 2023.

Pearson’s body was found July 19, near Lunte Creek Road west of Nashville, Illinois.

Loucks was arrested a few days after the discovery. He was the first of three suspects from Belleville arrested in connection with Pearson’s murder.

A day later, 57-year-old Milton Robinson was also arrested on the same charges, followed a few days later with the arrest of 45-year-old Arrion Sanders.

Robinson has since been found mentally unfit to stand trial and was remanded into the custody of the Department of Human Services to retain fitness. Sanders is scheduled for an April 22 jury trial for his alleged role in Pearson’s death.

In addition to the 40-year prison sentence, Loucks will have to serve three years of parole at the end of his prison sentence.