Mattoon Murder Suspect O'Dell Killed

The suspect in a Mattoon murder case has been killed.

Mattoon police were notified early Wednesday morning that Thomas Ray O'Dell, who was wanted for the robbery and murder that occurred March 18 at Toasters Bar in Mattoon, was killed by a Bryant, Arkansas police officer.

Information received from the Bryant, Arkansas Police Department states that O'Dell allegedly was committing a burglary at a drug store when an officer arrived on scene.  It's alleged that O'Dell shot at the arriving officer, who then returned fire and killed O'Dell.

Multiple media sources in Arkansas are reporting that the officer who took down O'Dell was hit in the hand and shoulder, in a gun battle that took place outside Fred's Super Dollar Store on Arkansas' Route 5 in Bryant, as shown in the Google Map below.

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O'Dell had been sought since the incident in Mattoon that resulted in the death of Benjamin Newton at Toasters.