Illinois man convicted of murdering ex-girlfriend near Springfield

A Collinsville man was convicted Friday of killing his ex-girlfriend, a business owner and domestic abuse advocate, in Farmersville on Thanksgiving Day in 2021.

A Montgomery County jury ruled in the week-long trial that Robert "Bobby" Tarr, 51, shot to death Leslie J. Reeves, 45, of Troy and critically injured Christopher Smith, 50, at Smith's home in Farmersville, about 25 miles south of Springfield.

Tarr faces a minimum of 76 years behind bars when he is sentenced by Fourth Judicial Circuit Associate Judge Christopher W. Matoush in Hillsboro on July 1.

More: Collinsville man faces charges in fatal shooting of businesswoman in Farmersville

Tarr became a person of interest in the case because he had had a dating relationship with Reeves, the owner of All You Studio and Party Place in Troy. Reeves was also a self-defense instructor and public speaker on women’s safety.

Tarr was arrested the day after Reeves and Smith were located. Family members of both had become concerned when they didn't show up for separate Thanksgiving gatherings.

Montgomery County State's Attorney Andrew Affrunti said a number of factors worked in favor of the conviction, including the recovery of the murder weapon at Tarr's home and a timeline of Tarr's whereabouts around the time of the murder.

Also key, Affrunti said, was the Illinois State Police and Springfield Police providing forensic evidence on Tarr's cell phone and evidence from the cell tower.

The state stipulated that Smith, who had been shot in the head, had no recollection of the events.

Smith, who was originally taken to HSHS St. John's Hospital, is continuing to get medical treatment.

Less than a year after his arrest, Tarr was indicted by a grand jury on two counts of solicitation of murder for hire in the incident.

Tarr was accused of plotting to kill Smith and a sheriff's deputy investigating the murder case.

Affrunti said that trial won't get started until after Tarr's sentencing.

Affrunti said he believed the conviction would "start to bring some closure to the victim's family."

Affrunti tried the case with Derek Dion, the former first assistant in the Sangamon County State's Attorney's office, who is now with the Office of the State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor .

Daniel Fultz and Mark Wykoff , both of Springfield, were the attorneys for the defense.

Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788; sspearie@sj-r.com; X, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie .

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Illinois man convicted of murdering ex-girlfriend near Springfield