The body of Jeffrey Dean Cheshier 41, an apparent suicide victim, was found Tuesday, July 17th near the 200 block of Albright Road .
This horrific story broke after Small Victories Ministry was contacted by detectives from the Bryant, Arkansas police department in November 2006 after viewing their website www.smallvictoriesusa.com to see if they had any information that would help place Cheshier at the Hope abortion Clinic on a particular day in March 2006. Daniel and Angela Michael provided the police with pictures of Cheshier and the vehicle used. Cheshier was arrested on multiple counts of rape that began on a 13-year-old victim.
Garland County sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle in a private driveway shortly before 4 p.m. and found a silver car parked there with the trunk open and doors unlocked.
The vehicle keys were located in the trunk and no one was around so deputies contacted the registered owner of the vehicle and she stated her son had taken the car.
A witness, 25, at the residence said he had heard a "pop like a bottle rocket" or a small caliber gun earlier while he was standing by the vehicle.
Sheriff’s deputy Butch Tosh and his K-9 partner, Cal, responded to the scene and conducted a search and located the body of Jeffrey Cheshier who died from a single self-inflicted gunshot wound. No foul play is suspected in the victim’s death.
Cheshier was set to stand trial Aug. 21 on two counts of rape in Garland County Circuit Court and multiple rape charges out of Saline County, all reportedly involving the same now 15-year-old victim.
He was free on $50,000 bail while awaiting trial and was set to appear next week for a hearing to consider merging all his charges and for a change of venue.
This unfortunate crime of child rape is played out every day. This one just got caught. Unfortunately, it ended tragically. One can only imagine the pain and guilt Cheshier felt after stealing this young girl’s innocence that would force a man in the prime of his life to take the coward’s way out of his problems. Psalm 38:4 “My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear.” Without Jesus in his heart, Jeffrey Cheshier was a fugitive until his death.
There are many victims in this heartbreaking situation; our hearts and prayers go out to all involved.
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Highland, IL 62249
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