Man arraigned in connection with death of Trudy Appleby

HENRY CO., Ill. (KWQC) - Jamison Fisher, the man charged in connection with the 30-year-old disappearance of Trudy Appleby, was arraigned Monday morning.

Fisher, 50, is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of concealment of a homicidal death.

At the hearing, a judge denied Fisher’s motion to substitute the judge.

Fisher’s attorney, Lance Camp, said he anticipates filing motions by Friday. He did not say what those motions will be. A hearing was set for Nov. 5 on these motions.

At a first appearance on Oct. 14, court documents showed that the death of Appleby was motivated by a drug debt.

The Henry County State’s Attorney said in the court documents that witnesses have testified that the 11-year-old was “taken as collateral for a drug debt.”

The court documents didn’t have many details but said the case broke open recently after witnesses came forward decades after her disappearance.