CLINTON COUNTY — On Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, law enforcement agencies from Clinton County, Marion County, and the Illinois Conservation Police executed search warrants at locations in both counties in connection with an incident involving multiple deer killed on a roadway in Clinton County.
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The operation followed reports of several deer being shot from a vehicle on Oct. 24, 2025, in the Boulder area of Clinton County. Authorities recovered and seized evidence at the addresses searched.
Ashen McArthur, a resident of rural Carlyle, was taken into custody by Clinton County Sheriff’s deputies and Illinois Conservation Police officers. McArthur is suspected of killing at least 13 deer at various locations by stopping a vehicle in the roadway and using a .22 caliber rifle and a spotlight.
McArthur faces multiple conservation violations as well as other criminal charges. The Clinton County Sheriff’s Office expressed gratitude to the public for their assistance during the investigation.
In Illinois, it is illegal to kill a deer using a spotlight or any artificial light source. The practice, which is considered a form of poaching, is prohibited because it temporarily blinds deer, making them easy targets. This applies to all forms of recreational deer hunting.
All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
