MARION COUNTY — A 27-year-old Centralia man was sentenced Friday in Marion County Court to 55 years in prison after a judge found him guilty in August of the 2019 shooting death of a man in a Central City home.

Judge Kim Koester found Mantez Duncan guilty of first-degree murder for the December 3, 2019, shooting death of 39-year-old Clendar Edmond, of East St. Louis.

Duncan was one of five defendants charged in connection with Edmond’s death and the disposal of his remains in a tree line just northeast of 53-year-old Cardell Thomas’ home in Central City, where the body was ultimately burned.

Thomas, 30-year-old Krystal Scerba, 27-year-old Darledria Flippen, and 28-year-old Blake Shahan are also charged in connection with Edmond’s murder and testified at the bench trial about Duncan’s role in Edmond’s death.

Scerba, Thomas, Flippen, and Shahan are all charged with one count each first-degree murder, while Flippen is additionally charged with Class X armed robbery.

Testimony at the bench trial indicated Duncan shot Edmond multiple times in the garage of Thomas’ home over money he had said Edmond owed him. Flippen is accused of taking money the Edmond had with him when he arrived with Shahan and Scerba at the Green Street residence.

The other four defendants remain in custody with their cases still pending.