BENTON – A Williamson County man has been arrested in connection with recent burglaries in Franklin County.
Sheriff Kyle Bacon says 31-year-old Joel A. Marrs was arrested at a home in rural West Frankfort Monday. Marrs is charged with three counts of burglary, two counts of theft, theft and criminal damage to property. He was also wanted on a Williamson County arrest warrant for burglary. Also arrested at the home was 29-year-old Brandy R. Heater. She was wanted on a Williamson County Failure to Appear warrant for residential burglary. Marrs and Heater were both taken to the Franklin County Jail.
Marrs was allegedly involved in a Jan. 5 burglary at a business in Buckner where a number of video gaming machines suffered significant damage. Then on Jan. 6, Mars broke into a business through the drive-thru window in Benton where video gaming machines were accessed and damaged.
Within minutes, a suspect vehicle was developed that led deputies and detectives to a home in West Frankfort. The vehicle owner said he had recently left his vehicle at a local repair shop for service. Deputies and detectives went to the repair shop and found that the vehicle had a significant amount of tools and other misc. auto repair equipment had been taken.
Then last Friday, the vehicle was found burned in rural West Frankfort. Deputies investigated and developed Marrs as the suspect. They learned Marrs was possibly at a home in that area and responded. They found Marrs and Heater there and took them into custody. They were taken to jail.
Agencies assisting in the investigation include the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Carbondale Police Department, Johnston City Police Department, West Frankfort Police Department and the Southern Illinois Enforcement Group.
