03/20/2011 - Report #479 - Victim: Gladys M. Cockrell - Location: Centreville, IL

MCS Report #479

Classification: Homicide

Requesting Agency: Centreville Police Department

Date of Activation: 03/20/2011

Commander and Department: Officer Scott Workman, Greenville PD

Deputy Report Officer and Department: Lt. Keith Townsend, O’Fallon PD

Deputy Report Officer and Department: Officer Tom Boyd, Mascoutah PD

Victim: Gladys M. Cockrell

Suspect: Cortez D. Hamm

The Centreville Police Department requested the assistance of the Major Case Squad in investigating the death of Gladys Cockrell. At approximately 1:15pm, police officers responded to the area of the 500 block of South 42nd Street for a report of a person down. There they found Gladys Cockrell (age 88) in a driveway where she was pronounced dead. Gladys had been shot.

As investigators were investigating the case, they learned Glady’s car had just been seen by a neighbor. Police attempted to stop the car. The car’s driver, Cortez Hamm (age 20), shot at a police officer. The officer returned fire and killed Cortez.

As a result of this investigation, it was determined Cortez Hamm shot and killed Gladys Cockrell and then stole her car.

PastKathy Effan