Alleged Victims Speak Out

Residents of a campus apartment say they believe two Illini football players stole their property during an alleged crime spree. Jody Ellis and Derrick McPherson are facing charges of possession of stolen property, and obstructing justice.

Police say they discovered the stolen property which consisted of laptop computers, cash and credit cards in their vehicle after an accident at 3rd and Armory.

Some residents at the Johsnstowne Apartment complex on the University of Illinois campus reported being burglarized Friday night. Jeremy Macklin says he didn't know what to think at first when he got back from dinner Friday to find several items missing from his apartment. He says his roommate also had items stolen. Macklin said officers told him his belongings were found in the car with Jody Ellis and Derrick Mcphearson. He says a bottle of prescription pills lead police back to his apartment. "I actually didn't realize it was gone and they had found it and matched my name up with what they found in the car. that's how they traced it back to me," added Macklin.

Another resident, Stacey Giblichman, said she was sitting on the couch Friday when two men opened her door and looked in. Giblichman said, "The description we read seem to match the men we saw." We attempted to contact Mcphearson and Ellis for comment. Neither were at home. But for Giblichman and her roommates. She says they are still a little shaken up by the whole situation. "It was a little scary, to find out afterwards, because we knew some of the other people that did get robbed."

McPhearson and Ellis are innocent until proven guilty. Both will be formally charged in court Monday afternoon at 1:30.