Man faces federal charges in Illinois trooper’s slaying

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. - A federal grand jury has indicted a southern Illinois man accused of fatally shooting a state trooper on drug and weapons charges, prosecutors announced Thursday.

Christopher R. Grant, 46, of East St. Louis, faces eight counts including including including using a firearm to murder Illinois State Trooper Nicholas Hopkins in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offense, U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft said.

Hopkins, 33, was fatally shot Aug. 23 while serving a search warrant.

Grant also faces three counts of distributing crack cocaine, maintaining a drug house and other charges.

Online court records do not list an attorney for Grant.