EAST ST. LOUIS – A 19-year-old man has been charged with multiple felonies, including first-degree murder, in connection with a homicide that occurred earlier this month. Celvin Rogers, of East St. Louis, was arrested following an investigation by the Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Criminal Investigation Public Safety Enforcement Group.
The investigation began on February 8, 2025, when ISP agents were called in by the East St. Louis Police Department to assist with a homicide investigation. The incident took place on 59th Street, south of State Street, where 17-year-old Parker Bujnak of Belleville was shot while standing outside a vehicle. Bujnak was transported to a local hospital but was later pronounced dead.
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Following a comprehensive investigation, the case was presented to St. Clair County State’s Attorney James Gomric. As a result, Rogers faces charges of first-degree murder, armed robbery with discharge of a firearm, and aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon, all filed on February 19, 2025.
Rogers was apprehended in Missouri by the United States Marshals Service and is currently being held pending extradition to Illinois. No further information has been released at this time.
The charges are not evidence against the defendant, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
