Psychological evaluation ordered for Muennich’s shooter

by Randy Pierce • Elijah Thompson, who is facing multiple felony charges in connection with an incident that occurred in Fairview Heights on May 17, will be undergoing a psychological evaluation administered by Dr. Daniel Cuneo of Belleville as a result of a judicial order issued last week.

Molly Muennich, a Fairview Heights Police Department officer who resides in Troy, sustained a serious facial wound after responding to a call to a Fairview Heights residence where Thompson, 23, of Belleville, is alleged to have fired a handgun at her and two other officers.

Karen Kaufhold, the city clerk in Fairview Heights, was a guest at a meeting of the Rotary Club in that community last week and said Muennich, who had been taken to the Level One Trauma Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis the night of the shooting and has since then been released,  “has several surgeries to go through yet” but is doing well and “has a great sense of humor about all of this.”

Muennich, who Kaufhold said is planning to get married in October, was transported back to Fairview Heights by its chief of police, Steve Johnson, after being released from Barnes-Jewish, and greeted with an encouraging throng of well-wishers who had gathered around the police station where she went to pick up some items before going home.

The case involving charges of attempted murder, aggravated battery and resisting a peace officer against Thompson, set to come before Associate Circuit Judge Jeffrey Watson on Wednesday, July 16, has been rescheduled for Sept. 25, pending the evaluation by Cuneo.

The order from Watson specifies that Cuneo, a clinical psychologist and addiction specialist, is to assess and evaluate the sanity of Thompson at the time of the offenses he is charged with, subsequent to a request for this by his legal defense representative.

Thompson, who remains in custody at the St. Clair County Jail in Belleville, where he has been since after the crime occurred, actually has three other unrelated felony cases, two involving charges filed in 2023 and one from 2021, pending against him with these also set for the late September date.   

Muennich and four other Fairview Heights officers, two who did not absorb any gunshot wounds, went to a home about 9:45 p.m. the night of May 17 when it was reported by a female known to Thompson that he had been prowling around the property.

In connection with this case, there is also a legal “status conference” set for Aug. 6, at 8:30 a.m. at the St. Clair County Administration and Courts Building, commonly known as the courthouse, on the Public Square in Belleville.

The specific charges against Thompson include four of which are for attempted murder with the intent to kill or injure, three for aggravated battery, discharge of a firearm at a police officer on duty and one of resisting arrest by a peace officer.

Another Fairview Heights officer, Herminio “Tony” Raimundi, who was shot in one of his arms on May 17, is also at his home further north in Madison County, recovering and being comforted by a canine named River who has been his companion since the two were united for law enforcement purposes as part of their duties a little over a year ago. Officer Andrew Ward was wearing a protective vest which kept him from being seriously injured at the time of the shooting.

Per a ruling by the Illinois Supreme Court, all suspects of crimes are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.