A suspect has been arrested over the 2016 disappearance and murder of 13-year-old Robert Bee, a case that has remained unsolved in Illinois for nearly a decade.
Keith Brackett was taken into custody Wednesday morning and faces multiple counts of first-degree murder, according to the Pekin City Police Department. The arrest follows years of investigation into the death of Bee, who vanished from his home on November 18, 2016.
According to a probable cause affidavit, investigators focused on Brackett after learning he maintained a close relationship with the teenager despite their age difference.
Bee reportedly skipped school frequently to spend time at Brackett’s residence, according to authorities. While Brackett initially told police he had last seen the boy during a gathering with Bee’s mother, Lisa, digital forensics and physical evidence later contradicted his account.
Bee’s skeletal remains were discovered in July 2017 in a wooded area behind a property owned by Brackett’s aunt. An autopsy determined the cause of death was homicidal violence, likely caused by asphyxiation.
Detectives found several types of rope and tape at the site where the remains were recovered, later discovering matching materials during a search of Brackett’s home.
According to the affidavit, digital data also allegedly placed Brackett near the crime scene multiple times between the boy’s disappearance and the discovery of his body.
The affidavit also detailed a series of internet searches allegedly conducted by Brackett, including inquiries regarding how long DNA remains on rope and what actions to take if named a suspect in a murder investigation.
Brackett was eventually found in Maine during a separate burglary investigation. Police believe he planned to flee the country, but he was arrested at a playground and extradited to Illinois.
“The murder of a child is obviously going to be something that our community, our county and our citizens take great interest in,” Tazewell County State’s Attorney Kevin Johnson said during a press briefing.
Johnson said his office was restricted in what details could be shared as the case proceeded through court.
Ash Patino, a filmmaker who produced a documentary on the disappearance, said that Brackett had long been a person of interest due to his proximity to the victim.
“Robert Bee was way too young to be hanging out with somebody at that age,” Patino said.
Brackett is currently being held in custody pending further court proceedings.
