Tazewell 911, tell me exactly what happened. I just came upon this person. I need an ambulance and the police. Okay, what's going on with them? I don't know what happened. I It's a long driveway. They're in my driveway. What What is he doing? >> He's He was He's now walking around outside the car and there's blood everywhere. On September 2nd, 2025 in Pekin, Illinois, officers were dispatched to a multi-million-dollar lakefront property at the end of a long wooded driveway. The caller reported a disturbing scene, a 93-year-old man covered in blood beside a vehicle on the property. When officers arrived, they found the elderly man waiting for them, and [music] the truth behind what happened would prove far more unsettling than anyone could have expected. Hi. Just so you know, I got a body cam. What's going on? She's staying with me. That's her husband. Okay, so you know them? I do. Do you live here? No, no. Um but lady that walked down here with me does. Okay. Ma'am, can you hear me? Ma'am? Why do you have blood all over you? I don't know. She's She's agonal breathing. Do you know her? I do know her. But she's staying with me. He has his own place. They were going to Who is he? Who is he? He's the other half. They're They're the guy in the blue shirt. What's your name? 14 James Payne. Come over here, honey. Are you okay? I'm okay. I don't think I'm okay. Is there a gunshot, Tyler? No, it looks like her neck, maybe. What do you got? Maybe neck. Yep. What happened today? I'm going to wait for the fire department to come down the driveway here if they're going to need their equipment. I'm not sure what we're dealing with. It's a terrible What do you mean a long-term thing? >> We're getting a di- divorce. Okay. What's her name? Cheryl. Okay. Same last name? Yes. Okay. So, they were leaving your house? They were They were both leaving together. They were leaving your house together? >> together. And they got this far and I don't know what happened. He said, "I just couldn't take it anymore." He said, "I couldn't take it anymore." Okay. Well, she lives with you on Hollybrook? We were she was in the process of moving in for a while. >> Okay. So She was in the hospital. She had had a severe wreck. Okay. So, what happened today? Why were you down here? Uh she's been staying with the lady you talked to earlier. Um and so, he called you. Can I see that phone call? No, he didn't call me. I I'm That's my car right there. I came to the doctor for a while. You just happened to come down here. >> to come down here, and I'm like, "Holy crap, what happened?" And when you saw her, was this where she was at? >> was. Yes. And she was already on the ground? >> Already on the ground. And non-responsive. She's like barely She's down like a faint call. Okay. I need that shirt off. Um did he have a weapon in this hand? No, he did not, and I looked in the car. Okay, I'm going to have you step out of the car, okay? Yep, yep, yep, yep, yep. Can I pat you down real quick and make sure you don't have any Do you have a knife on you still? Don't Don't touch anything. Do you have a knife on you still? No, I don't. Okay. Where is the knife at? Just keep your arms up for me, okay? I'm not going You got blood all over you. I don't want to get it all over me. >> Okay, I'm sorry. I got pepper right here. Hold it. Were you driving the car? So, you drove down here today? Yes, I was coming So, how did it escalate to where we are right now? It's It's always been escalating, it seems like. Okay. But what happened here? He hit his ball on the chicken. I don't have my bike. She started yelling at me, and we were arguing, and she tried to scratch me, I guess. I don't know. Okay. I just lost I cut her throat with a knife. Okay. that I had in the car. One, two, three. So you guys got into an argument as you were leaving and she tried to scratch you? She tried to Okay. Okay. And then you grabbed the knife that was in the car? And you cut her throat? Can I ask why it escalated so quickly? Like Okay. So how long have you been going through the divorce process? So she lives here. This is her house. They were just at her house. They were leaving. Yeah, I know Jim. Jim that's him. Yes, they're in the process of a divorce. Okay. The knife is out of the question. It sounds like you don't know. He does not have it on him. Okay. Have him down there stepping on him. Here's what we're going to do James. Let's walk up to one of these cars out here. We're going to have to go somewhere and talk, okay? All right. Here, let's step over here for now, okay? Make sure you're going to follow the ambulance to the hospital. Okay. How old are you James? Okay. All right, we're going to walk up here and we're going to take a little ride, okay? James, are you able to drive him? Okay. Here's what I'm going to do. I I trust Officer Melvin who patted you down before, but this is Detective McKinley. I'm going to have him just make sure you don't have that knife on you right now, okay? There's no knife in there, right? That you saw without digging around. I didn't saw I mean I didn't move obviously. I didn't really dig around, but I didn't see anything. Oh, hey. Here's some evidence. What do you got there? Oh, is that the bottle? There's blood on that. Okay. So, she was Yeah. Sure if you want to go back there so much. I walked the dog. Okay. All right, I'll hold here. If you're okay with it, will you take him go with him to the PD and then I was going to just start on the scene? Can I advise him kind of wide in? Got it. Are you calling an ambulance? Yeah, everyone on the way. I'm going to pull this down and buckle it, okay? All right, I'm going to have you go to the police department. And you just sit tight. Officer Zimmerman's going to take you down to the police department and I'll meet you there, okay? Okay. Pretty lucky. All right, he's in custody. Uh he's in the car. He's going to the police station. Okay. He he needs to be in custody. Uh so, I'll give you the quick rundown. I talked to the lady. So, uh suspect is husband, victim is wife. They're going through a divorce. They know he's cheating. Her with this house. Victim has been living for a week because of this divorce. Prearranged husband suspect was coming this morning to pick up victim and they're going to the bank to take care of the financial pursuit into the divorce. Arrives, honks, victim comes out, gets in the car and they're think anything of it. Like they're going to the bank. Taking her dog for a walk, comes down her lane and finds him coming back covered in blood. Said, "I couldn't take it anymore. I cut her throat." At this moment, I think she's still alive. She's not pronounced. I've got a crime scene back here with the car. Don't know where the knife is yet. The knife Yeah, knife was wrapped in the car. He he dropped it in the car. Okay. As officers secure the [music] scene, detectives begin the forensics process, searching the wooded driveway for the knife and documenting the area. In order for detectives to maximize chances of a conviction, they must find [music] the weapon used and eliminate any chance of a self-defense claim. As James Payette is taken back to the station, detectives will need to [music] learn more about where he left the weapon. I need you to come down there. Can you come up? I got to step outside. Walk to the entrance. Take your time. If you could call somebody at the scene uh I lost one hearing aid. Okay. You think they're by the vehicle or I don't Don't know? Okay. Going to go up this way, not too much farther. Okay. All right, detective is going to be with you in just a moment, okay? And I'll make that call. Obviously, because we're at the police department, and you're in custody, I have to read you your Miranda warning, okay? You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be used against you in court. You can decide at any time to not make any statements. This bottom part is just saying that I've read this to you, and I let you know that the room is audio and video recording. So, the only thing that we don't know is the car with the Very likely happened in the car. Lots of blood in the car. And then actually was taken out by medical. There's a lot of blood on the ground that spilled out. Okay. I cannot see the knife. Do not know where the knife is yet. We're also super close to the Right. So, it would be very easy to toss, you know, chuck a knife Yeah. over to these trees. Hey, James. Do you know where the knife went? I think I threw it. Okay. Do you think you threw it in the tree line, or where did you throw it at? I just remember throwing Throwing it. Okay. And then did you drink a bottle of water that would have been outside of the car? We don't know if it's just trash or if it was something that you left there? I had a bottle of water in there. Okay, I just wanted to make sure that the officer that's out there was asking me cuz we just want to make sure that we know everything that's out there. We want to make sure we know where it came from, okay? Okay, he said that he threw the knife. Um he couldn't tell me if he threw it in like the tree line there, but he said he was outside of the car and he remembers throwing the knife away from the car. He doesn't know which way. Does he remember if he threw it to the pond or in the timber? Cuz he's right next to the lake here. Let me ask. I asked if he threw it in the trees and he said he didn't remember. He just said he just I just remember throwing the knife um and then that was his bottle of water. Okay, and what is what does the knife look like? Do you have a description at all? Not yet. Uh I just went through Miranda with him and I was going to get him uh photographs and change and stuff and then sit down and go through with things in more detail, but I can at least get a description of the knife and see if he remembers throwing it in the water. Okay, very good. All right. He threw the knife. Can remember if it was towards the lake or towards the timber he threw the knife from the car. So, I would have to venture a guess that if it was a spurred moment, spontaneous, he did it and then chucked it back unless it was premeditated and he wanted to get rid of it. Okay, I'm going to do all the pictures that I can with you sitting down before I stand you up, okay? Are you still feeling okay despite everything? Yeah, I'm just not I'm not thinking too clearly. Okay, James, can you tell me what that knife looked like? I believe it was red. Red? Was it like a like a utility knife, like a folding knife, or was it like a steak knife, or like a box cutter knife? No, it was just a You had to open it. Okay. And when you threw it, cuz you're kind of you're you're kind of right down by that lake. Do you know if you threw it into the lake, or if you threw it into the trees? And if you don't know, just let me know. If you don't know, I just tell me that. >> I I threw it that Not not towards the lake. Okay. >> The other way. >> Okay. Can you uh send that to us? >> We left And it's a red like hunting knife, and it shouldn't be in the lake. It should just be out by the trees. I'm going to guess that he tossed it, you know, this way, towards the lake. I just wish I was knew looking for a big knife, little knife. Yeah, I I uh Ali's following up. I mean, there's a pretty good size hole in her throat. hunting folding knife Okay. So, it's probably decent size. >> threw it not in the lake, but the other way. Oh. So, over here? Okay. Now, I'm going to have take some pictures of your arms, okay? First, are you able to get your wedding rings to come off? Does it come off? Okay, you can put that there. And then I guess at worst we'll use one of the dogs to try to find it. Should be fairly easy for the dog with the blood on it. Yeah, that's good. There's no other really smells out here for him to smell. I wouldn't think he would have been able to throw it super far. I Maybe right straight ahead of you, Fitz. Walk straight ahead behind that this No, to your right. And then straight ahead. I think I think I see it. Right Right there. Yeah. Like orangeish. Like a cactus bush. Yeah, right where my light is. Right where the the beam of my light is. It's It's open. It has blood on it. I can see it. >> Okay. So. Good enough. Just straight from the car. Okay. All right, we're good. Done? What? Found it. >> good? Yeah. I can't find it. It's off on this side of the woods about, I don't know, 30, 40 ft in. 30 ft in there. It's like a folding knife. Like the blade's probably this long. Probably like this kind of under leaves, but There you go. Like a bloodhound. I'm going to take your socks off. Sorry, James. I'm sorry. No, you're fine. James, are you doing okay? James? I asked him. He's kind of like falling asleep, but he said he's just not feeling like he's thinking right. I'm staying up. All right, going to the back back door here. Taking one male, first degree murder. He's cooperative. While James appeared tired at the station and offered little during his brief time with detectives, [music] investigators continued to prepare for trial anticipating a self-defense claim. However, before [music] trial, there would be one more surprise. Cheryl Pate would ultimately pass away from her injuries, and James Pate, her long-time husband, was charged with first degree murder. According to the preliminary autopsy findings, Cheryl Pate [music] suffered multiple stab wounds to her neck, face, and upper body. She also showed signs of defensive wounds on her arms and hands with her ultimate cause of death being listed as multiple sharp force injuries [music] to the neck. While no official photographs of the knife were released, we have receipts that confirm James purchased a Cat brand folding knife from a local Menards for $15.99 [music] earlier that morning, similar to the one shown here. In the days leading to trial, an ironic twist of fate occurred. The suspect's health rapidly declined. James Pate, now a widow, would end up dying as his heart gave out on October 6th, 2025.