A month later, protesters demand justice for the 18-year-old who was found dead on the highway

STERLING, Ill. (KWQC) – It’s been more than a month since police found Jackson Kradle’s body along a highway outside Mount Carroll.

Police have since released very few details about the 18-year-old’s death. And that’s not enough for his family and friends, who gathered for a protest outside Illinois State Police headquarters in Sterling on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, state police said the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office was “fully cooperating with the investigation and has turned over all requested information.”

But family and friends still want answers.

“We feel like it’s taken a long time to get a handle on this,” said Brittany Smith, a family friend. “The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office has not handled this properly, but hopefully the Illinois State Police will.”

Normally, the sheriff’s office would handle such investigations, but state police took over a few hours after Kradle was found on Illinois 78 on July 28.

Investigators told TV6 that a special prosecutor had been appointed – indicating a conflict of interest within the sheriff’s department.

Meanwhile, investigators said they remained in contact with Kradle’s family.

But Carroll County residents said the community had a right to know more.

“We want the people in the building to know that we will not be silent. We will not be silenced and we will spread his name and his word as long as we can,” Smith said.

“Justice for Jackson. We want him arrested as soon as possible.”

Police did not release any new information about the “person of interest,” but asked anyone with new information to contact investigators at 815-632-4010.

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