Man found guilty in armed Peoria carjacking that left victim for dead

PEORIA ( 25News Now ) - A Peoria man has been found guilty in a 2022 armed carjacking that left the victim for dead.

Patrick W. Meyer, 26, was accused of stealing a man's car at gunpoint and shooting him - in front of his daughter.

According to the Peoria County State's Attorney's Office, Meyer, also found guilty of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, approached the victim armed with a gun and forced him out of his car on Dec. 14, 2022, at the Shell station at 1900 N. Knoxville.

Meyer shot the victim six times, took the car and left him for dead, in front of his daughter.

The victim survived, but has received multiple surgeries and still has a bullet lodged in his hip, the state's attorney's office said.

It took a jury 35 minutes to convict Meyer.

According to the state's attorney's office, multiple different surveillance videos and witness statements were used to develop Meyer as a suspect.

One of the witnesses led detectives to the gun used in the shooting that Meyer had stashed behind a shed in his friend's yard.

Forensic testing confirmed the shell casings recovered from the shooting came from that gun.

Meyer admitted to owning the gun that was used in the shooting when police questioned him and ditching the vehicle after stealing it when it broke down.

According to the state's attorney's office, Meyer claimed he was under the influence of drugs and could not remember the hijacking and shooting.

Meyer is set to be sentenced on Nov. 25. He is eligible for life in prison.