Tarr made pre-trial appearance Friday

July 23, 2023 134

HILLSBORO — A man facing murder and attempted murder charges made an appearance Friday in Montgomery County court. Robert J. Tarr of Collinsville appeared in court Friday before Circuit Judge Christopher Matoush.

Discovery continues to be sought, while both the prosecution and defense are anticipating an agreement. This agreement would allow for the increase of the maximum cap for expert witness fees, which are currently near the current cap.

The court agrees to review the matter as basketwork and set if not allowed in a timely manner. Currently, the case is still on track for a jury trial setting in October. A further pretrial date is set for August 25 at 1 p.m.

Tarr is facing two charges of first-degree murder for the death of ex-girlfriend Leslie Reeves of Troy. He also faces two attempted murder charges for the attempted killing of Christopher Smith of Farmersville.

Tarr is accused of breaking into Smith’s home at 104 Nobbie St. in the early morning hours of Thanksgiving Day in 2021. Upon response from law enforcement, Reeves was found dead with a fatal shot to the head. Smith, who also suffered a headshot, fought for his life in an area medical facility.

Smith continues to make strides in his recovery since that tragic incident nearly two years ago.

Tarr also faces tampering charges

Tarr also faces charges of tampering with a security, fire, or life safety system. This stems from a December 30, 2022 incident where he allegedly made an attempt to tamper with the security system. This incident occurred while an inmate inside the Montgomery County Correctional Center.

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Jake Leonard

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Jake Leonard, a broadcast media and journalism veteran, is the editor-in-chief of Heartland Newsfeed. Leonard is also GM and program director of Heartland Newsfeed Radio Network, wrestling editor and contributing writer for Ambush Sports, a contributing writer for My Sports Vote and Midwest Sports Network, and a former contributor to Bleacher Report and Overtime Heroics. He resides at home in Nokomis, Ill. with his dog Buster.