Suspect named in Peoria Planned Parenthood arson
Wednesday, Jan 25, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Background is here if you need it. News Director at WCBU Radio…
From Tim’s thread…
The official charge is “Malicious Use of Fire and an Explosive to Damage, and Attempt to Damage, Property Used In and Affecting Interstate Commerce.”
From the complaint: “MASSENGILL also told investigators he thought that, if his actions the night of January 15, 2023 caused “a little delay” in a person receiving services at the PHC, his conduct may have been “all worth it.”
Massengill offered a woman in Sparland $300 to paint the distinctive red door on his pickup truck white the day after the arson, prosecutors said. A paint grinder with red paint residue was found on the scene.
* From the criminal complaint…
On January 24, 2023, MASSENGILL telephonically contacted the Peoria Police Department and stated he wanted to speak about the incident at the PHC. MASSENGILL arrived at the Peoria Police Department, at approximately 6:00 PM on January 24, 2023. MASSENGILL was advised of his Miranda rights and was subsequently interviewed by Peoria police and the FBI. During the interview, MASSENGILL stated he saw his truck on the news while he was at work. Initially, MASSENGILL denied responsibility for the fire, claiming that he traveled to Peoria on January 15, 2023 and allowed two adult males to borrow his truck.
MASSENGILL then changed his story and told investigators about a relationship he had been in approximately three years earlier. At that time, MASSENGILL’s girlfriend had become pregnant. MASSENGILL’s girlfriend, who was in the Peoria area while he was working in Alaska, informed MASSENGILL, via telephone, that she had elected to abort the child, which upset MASSENGILL. On or around January 15, 2023, MASSENGILL heard or saw something that reminded him of the abortion, again upsetting him. MASSENGILL admitted that, on January 15, 2023, he broke the window out of the PHC and placed a burning container inside of the building. MASSENGILL confirmed that he had driven his truck to SOI-1’s residence and asked her to paint the truck white. MASSENGILL also told investigators he thought that, if his actions the night of January 15, 2023 caused “a little delay” in a person receiving services at the PHC, his conduct may have been “all worth it.
That facility doesn’t do abortions.
* His Facebook page includes an anti-gay slur and a post highlighting the county sheriffs who have vowed not to enforce the assault weapons ban. He looks to be a COVID denier. He also tried to recruit folks to go with him to the January 6, 2021 “stop the steal” march, and appeared to be pro-Putin. And then there’s this.
…Adding… Jennifer Welch, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Illinois…
“We are pleased an arrest has been made in the firebombing of the Peoria Planned Parenthood Health Center on January 15. The damage to the health center is extensive and we are estimating it costing over $1M to rebuild. The repairs will take numerous months before we can reopen stronger than ever.
This senseless act of vandalism has robbed the community of access to birth control, cancer screenings, STI testing and treatment, and gender-affirming care as well as medication abortion services. We appreciate the outpouring of support from the community, state, and nation as we continue to meet our patients’ needs through telehealth and at our other 16 health centers across the state.
If supporters wish to help out in this moment we have information on our website, www.ppil.org, to donate directly to rebuilding the Peoria health center.”
- Amalia - Wednesday, Jan 25, 23 @ 3:16 pm:
Yep Massengill was never good for women.
- Lincoln Lad - Wednesday, Jan 25, 23 @ 3:25 pm:
Do the sheriffs think he deserves prosecution, or have they decided the abortion law is unconstitutional too?
- H-W - Wednesday, Jan 25, 23 @ 3:27 pm:
Amalia for the win.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Jan 25, 23 @ 3:27 pm:
*slow clap* for Amalia. Comment of the week material there. Well played.
- Huckleberry1926 - Wednesday, Jan 25, 23 @ 3:28 pm:
Ohhhhh My God!!!!! Cut the comments off now, Rich! Best/Funniest comment ever on this blog!!!!!!
- cermak_rd - Wednesday, Jan 25, 23 @ 3:45 pm:
Oh, well played Amalia.
- MisterJayEm - Wednesday, Jan 25, 23 @ 4:04 pm:
[reads Amalia’s comment]
[throws his keyboard in the river and devotes himself to a life of quiet contemplation]
– MrJM
- Kayak - Wednesday, Jan 25, 23 @ 4:04 pm:
Belushi: I hate Illinois Dbags
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jan 25, 23 @ 4:06 pm:
- Amalia -
That is perfect Restaurant Quality.
That is unmatched, it’s own tier.
Well done.
- Chito - Wednesday, Jan 25, 23 @ 4:08 pm:
Amalia’s comment saved me from being banned for calling him a d****e.
- Ducky LaMoore - Wednesday, Jan 25, 23 @ 4:09 pm:
“MASSENGILL”
This is not funny. I should stop laughing. Why does random chance seem to have a sense of humor?
- northsider (the original) - Wednesday, Jan 25, 23 @ 4:20 pm:
Amalia wins everything.
- very old soil - Wednesday, Jan 25, 23 @ 4:37 pm:
I admit that I had to use the google machine, Funny if all of this wasn’t so depressing.
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Jan 25, 23 @ 4:41 pm:
Can we actually award Amalia a chicken dinner for that comment?
Priceless
- JoanP - Wednesday, Jan 25, 23 @ 4:52 pm:
Oh, Amalia, you’re brilliant.
- jackmac - Wednesday, Jan 25, 23 @ 5:06 pm:
If there is a Hall of Fame for all-time great Capitol Fax comments, Amalia’s a shoo-in.
- Glengarry - Wednesday, Jan 25, 23 @ 5:46 pm:
I like the joke, but this shows there’s a MAGA insurgency.
- FormerParatrooper - Wednesday, Jan 25, 23 @ 5:58 pm:
Amalia, you triggered a reaction I have not had since grade school, excellent delivery.
This leads to some semi serious questions. If he goes to trial, and he should in my opinion, how many times will the Judge have call the Court to order when the defendants name is said out loud?
Is there a legal precedence for nullification if the Jury cannot stop giggling?
If he goes to prison, will he change his name?
- Amalia - Wednesday, Jan 25, 23 @ 7:07 pm:
oh you are all making me laugh so hard and with happy tears. thank you. if you knew how I needed that today.
- Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Jan 25, 23 @ 8:21 pm:
Comment of the year already from Amalia. Nomination for commenter of the year (note to self). Hilarious for reasons that don’t belong here.
Political violence can happen to anyone, and everyone should oppose it as strongly as possible. It’s being welcomed and encouraged by one party. The party of Mitt Romney would probably do much better in key areas than the current party of TFG, like winning certain suburbs. In Arizona, 33,000 voted for Hobbs but other Republicans down ticket (and many left governor blank/wrote somebody in). This behavior is not a winner, TFG is not needed.
- Soccermom - Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 8:14 am:
Look. Have some sympathy. Middle school must have been a nightmare for this guy.
- Live Wire - Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 8:19 am:
Local news take, not his first run in with the law. The guy has a lot of mug shots over the years. https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/local-news/planned-parenthood-arson-suspect-has-extensive-criminal-history/
- Unionman - Thursday, Jan 26, 23 @ 8:45 am:
I wonder if this guy realized that by firebombing the facility, which is safe to assume is insured (not to mention additional donations that will come in), he just allowed PP to rebuild a facility that does not currently do abortions into a facility that will likely now be able to do abortions. He has now effectively given a grant to PP to do additional abortions at the facility in Peoria.