PEORIA, Ill. (25 News) – Family members are remembering 35 year old Isaac Payton as a loving son, brother, and father who always looked out for others.
“He was a protector,” Isaac’s sister Tiara Payton said. “He was the one you could and knew that he was going to be there for you.”
Payton was found dead in the 300 block of Wayne Friday night.
He was shot multiple times and the coroner said he likely died within seconds.
Nearly two days after the shooting, 42-year-old Orlando Alexander turned himself in to police.
He’s now being held at the Peoria County Jail accused of Payton’s murder.
Witness Jimmy Steal said Payton and Alexander were shooting at one another and that Payton shot first. Then, Alexander fired back.
“[Payton] was shooting at [Alexander],” Jimmy Steal said. “He kept on ducking. He laid on the ground. While he laying, he running from there to over here and land shot him in the back.”
Payton’s family said they don’t believe he would hurt a soul.
“He would never hurt anyone,” Tiara said.
“He had too much to live for. He had too much going for him. He loved his daughter, he loved us,” she added. “There’s no reason to take his life. There’s nothing. We don’t know. Only that coward knows why he did that.”
For sister Ilesha, the reality of losing her brother hasn’t set in.
“I don’t go a day without talking to my brother,” Ilesha said. “He could be mad at me and it doesn’t matter, he’ll call me 20 minutes later. I don’t know how i feel. I know a part of me is gone that I will never have back.”
Payton just finished training to become a welder. He also dreamed of becoming a barber.
“He just had so many goals and aspirations that he was going for,” Tiara said.
Payton’s family said they simply want justice for his death and have also set up a GoFundMe to raise money for his funeral.
