Illinois man charged with murder after Monticello killing

A man from East Dubuque. Ill., who was shot and injured by a Delaware County deputy last week after authorities say he killed a Fareway employee in Monticello, had his first appearance in court Saturday over a video call from the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics where he is being treated, according to Monticello police.

Nathan Russell, 38, was charged with first-degree murder, going armed with intent and being a felon in possession of a firearm in relation to the Nov. 7 shooting death of Aaron McAtee, 48, of Monticello.

Police responded to the Fareway grocery store at 420 N. Farley St. at 7:29 a.m. Nov. 7 where they found McAtee suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to the hospital, where he died. According to a criminal complaint, witnesses told police the shots fired at him came from a rifle pointed out the driver’s window of a black sedan with Illinois license plates.

Officers believed Russell was connected with the car because of interactions they’d had with him the night before. Monticello police put an alert out to nearby agencies to watch for the sedan and Russell. At 9:30 a.m., a Delaware County deputy found him in Hopkinton, the complaint states.

The deputy attempted to arrest Russell, but Russell was uncooperative and the deputy shot and wounded him. Russell was transported to UIHC, where he was charged Friday and had his first court appearance Saturday via video call.

“Russell remains in law enforcement custody while recovering from injuries sustained during his apprehension,” a police media release states, adding that Russell was being held on a cash-only $1 million bail.

Law enforcement found a rifle in Russell’s vehicle, and multiple shell casings consistent with the gun having been shot from inside the car. The black sedan was also seen on multiple security cameras in the area during the time right before and right after the shooting, according to the complaint.

Police believe Russell took the rifle Nov. 3 from his parents’ house in East Dubuque, four days before using it to shoot McAtee in Monticello.

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