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ALTON – A man from Alton has been charged with strangling a prior domestic battery victim and more, marking the latest in his series of domestic battery cases across Jersey, Madison, and Macoupin counties.
John T. Tanner, 36, of Alton, was charged on Sept. 29, 2025 with one count each of aggravated domestic battery (a Class 2 felony), unlawful restraint (a Class 4 felony), aggravated assault, and criminal damage to property (both Class A misdemeanors).
On Sept. 27, 2025, Tanner allegedly intentionally strangled a family or household member, held a steak knife to their throat, and would not allow the victim to leave the residence after taking their phone and car keys. According to the state’s petition to deny Tanner’s pretrial release from custody, Tanner refused to let the victim leave for approximately three and a half hours.
The petition adds Tanner was on probation at the time of this offense from a prior case of domestic battery involving the same victim, filed in June of 2024 in Jersey County. Tanner had previously been convicted of domestic battery in Macoupin County in 2014, 2017, and 2019, before being charged with domestic battery and interfering with the reporting of domestic violence in Madison County in 2024.
The petition also states Tanner “has a significant criminal history dating back to at least 2007.” In this latest case, he was ordered remanded to custody pending a hearing on the state’s petition.
All individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
