Champaign man accused of attempted murder in hotel shooting

URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — A man is facing attempted murder charges in Champaign County in connection to a robbery-turned-shooting at a Champaign hotel earlier this year.

Kejuan McFarland made his first appearance in court on Wednesday to face charges that include attempted murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and armed robbery. Judge Brett Olmstead ruled that he remain behind bars pending his trial.

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McFarland is accused of shooting a Tolono man in the chest the night of June 5 at Champaign's Days Inn . Julia Rietz, the Champaign County State's Attorney, said two women who were with McFarland said he was at the hotel the night of the shooting and an eyewitness saw him enter the room where the shooting happened, and then ran out.

Police said that an armed robbery happened inside the hotel room and the offender shot one person in the chest.

Surveillance footage also helped identify McFarland as a suspect, Rietz said. A warrant was issued for his arrest, and he was taken into custody during a traffic stop in Urbana last weekend.

Rietz added that at the same time, McFarland was also wanted on a warrant charging him with failure to register as a sex offender. Court records show McFarland was convicted in 2017 of misdemeanor criminal sexual abuse, while he was on probation for a robbery conviction the previous year. He was resentenced to three years.

McFarland is due back in court next month.