Tate's Request to Withdraw Guilty Pleas in Wayne County Murder Denied

A Wayne County judge has denied Ray Tate's motion to withdraw his guilty pleas to the murder of a Wayne County sheriff's deputy in 2021.

The 43-year-old Tate admitted to killing Deputy Sean Riley along I-64 after Riley was called to the scene to answer a request for a motorist assist. Tate then traveled to Missouri where he is charged with a number of other felonies, then returned later that same day to Illinois where he is charged in Clinton County with holding people hostage until later surrendering.

Tate filed motions to withdraw his guilty pleas to the Wayne County offenses and vacate his sentences in May of 2022, in July of 2023, and in June of this year. All of those motions were denied in court Thursday.

Tate had alleged that he was coerced into pleading guilty, that he was not mentally competent to enter the pleas, and that he had inadequate representation of counsel. The judge found no evidence of that being the case.

Tate still faces the counts in Clinton County and in Missouri. Those cases have remained on hold until the Wayne County cases are dealt with.