Illinois Man Sentenced to 65 Years for Shooting Girlfriend and Leaving Her to Die in a Ditch

BRIMFIELD, IL — An Illinois man will spend the rest of his life behind bars after he shot his girlfriend multiple times and left her to die in a roadside ditch, then later called 911 to report the shooting before asking what hospital she had been taken to.

The Crime and 911 Call

According to the Peoria County State’s Attorney’s Office, 39-year-old Joshua McGee shot his girlfriend, 37-year-old Ashley Tankersley, around 1 a.m. on August 22, 2021, along U.S. 150 near Philander Chase Lane in Brimfield, about 15 miles west of Peoria.

Deputies from the Peoria County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call and found Tankersley lying in a ditch with multiple gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities later confirmed that the 911 call had come from McGee’s phone.
In the call, an apparently male voice could be heard telling the operator, “She’s shot. Please help her,” before abruptly hanging up.

Tracking Down the Suspect

Investigators traced the call and found McGee at a rest stop in Sherman, Illinois, roughly 85 miles south of the murder scene.

Law enforcement surrounded his vehicle, leading to a multi-hour standoff before McGee was taken into custody.

Inside the vehicle, detectives discovered:

• A handgun
• Two spent shell casings
• Items belonging to Tankersley

Forensic tests confirmed that Tankersley’s blood was on McGee’s shoes, and a firearms expert determined that the casings matched the gun recovered in his car.

Cellphone records also placed McGee’s phone at the scene of the shooting.

His Disturbing Phone Conversation with Police

Peoria County Sheriff Chris Watkins testified that after tracing the call, officers repeatedly tried to reach McGee. Around 4 a.m., McGee finally answered.

They reportedly spoke intermittently for nearly two hours, during which McGee kept asking if “she” was okay and “what hospital she was at.”

Prosecutors said McGee appeared intoxicated. Witness testimony later revealed that the couple had been drinking together earlier that night at a friend’s house before leaving.

That friend described the two as affectionate at first, but said their mood suddenly shifted before they departed.

Conviction and Sentencing

A Peoria County jury convicted McGee in August 2025 of:

• First-degree murder
• Unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon

Chief Judge Katherine Gorman sentenced him to 65 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections — 55 years for murder and 10 years for the weapons charge — all to be served consecutively.

Under Illinois law, McGee must serve 100% of the murder sentence, ensuring he will remain behind bars for the rest of his life.

Remembering the Victim

Tankersley was remembered by friends and family as a woman with an infectious personality and an ability to make everyone around her laugh.

Her obituary described her as “well known for her vibrant personality, smile, and making those around her laugh.”

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