ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS — A Rockford man has been sentenced to 165 years in prison for the fatal shooting of a woman and the attempted murder of a man during a 2021 incident outside a local convenience store.
Darrell McLin, 45, was convicted in 2024 of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder, and was formally sentenced this week by Winnebago County Court Judge Brendan Maher, according to the Rockford Register Star.
Fatal Shooting at Kwik Mart in 2021
The violence unfolded around 1:45 a.m. on July 1, 2021, in the parking lot of Kwik Mart, located at 1203 Seventh Street in Rockford. Police say an argument broke out between a woman and a man when an unidentified person opened fire, hitting both victims.
Latonya Whitfield, 38, was rushed to the hospital but later died from her injuries. The second victim, a then-31-year-old man, sustained a life-threatening gunshot wound to the abdomen but survived.
Investigators quickly identified McLin as a suspect and issued a warrant. Weeks later, in July 2021, McLin was arrested in Phoenix, Arizona, by the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force, who coordinated with local authorities to bring him into custody.
Guilty Verdict and Harsh Sentence
Following a jury trial in 2024, McLin was found guilty on all charges. This week, Judge Maher handed down one of the county’s lengthiest sentences in recent memory — a total of 165 years, ensuring McLin will spend the rest of his life behind bars.
As noted by the Register Star’s Jeff Kolkey, the sentence reflects both the severity of the crime and the emotional toll on the victims’ families and the Rockford community.
A Community Still Mourning
The killing of Latonya Whitfield sparked outrage and sorrow across Rockford, especially among residents of the 7th Street corridor who knew her as a kind and hardworking woman. No clear motive for the shooting has been disclosed publicly, and prosecutors did not clarify whether McLin and the victims had any prior relationship.
The surviving male victim has reportedly undergone multiple surgeries and continues to recover from long-term injuries sustained in the attack.
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