Here’s a few updates on many of the stories that have been breaking or developing since the most recent print version hit the stands last week:
ELDORADO: Linda Young, the alleged intended victim of Roger Young (who was charged at the end of March with Solicitation to Commit Murder for hire) died last Monday, April 16, after being hospitalized for over a week following a suicide attempt. Our sources in the case—those close to the family—have told us that Mrs. Young likely ingested a large amount of pharmaceuticals on the night before, sat in the back of her husband’s extended-cab truck in which she was found (wearing her work uniform from Ferrell Hospital), and before she lost consciousness, inflicted superficial cuts on her arms. No one is certain why she cut her arms, as the pills were enough to shut down most motor functions. She was found early the next afternoon and was taken to Deaconess in Evansville, where she had limited brain function over the weekend (and was, according to sources, having seizures). By the following Sunday, April 8, it was determined to remove her from a ventilator, but she continued to breathe on her own. Still showing no brain function due to severe oxygen deprivation, the family decided to pull remaining life support. She lived for another week. Roger Young, 61, is set for a preliminary hearing on Tuesday, April 24. He’ll probably waive it at the advise of his attorney and proceed with the case; it’s uncertain how his wife’s death at her own hand will impact the outcome, if at all.
CAVE-IN-ROCK, Ill.—A strange little situation occurred a couple of days ago in one of Hardin County’s little river towns: apparently, a couple of guys decided that they weren’t going to pay for their meal at Rose’s Cafe and up and left. Police officers Mike Dutton and Wendell Conkle took off after them, reportedly finding them at the Ohio River Ferry (the operator of which had been notified by an astute citizen that the two were on board and what they’d allegedly done, and the operator was holding off embarking across the river until officers could arrive.) We’re hearing there was a scuffle with the two, and that Dutton may have broken an arm on one of the two guys. Whatever the case, they didn’t get away.
Jamal Oxford's mug shot from Williamson County
WILLIAMSON CO.—Some people never seem to learn that their bad habits are, well…bad. One of these people is Jamal Oxford, who is known across Saline and Williamson counties for writing checks on other peoples’ accounts. Now, he’s been busted in Franklin County, where court documents show that he allegedly attempted to cash a $300 check at a Banterra Bank March 20….just a few weeks after his hearing in Williamson County on his January charge of forgery there. The check was allegedly written on Southern Illinois Storm Shelters of Benton. How he got ahold (allegedly) of such a check remains a mystery. However, Oxford’s sticky fingers precede him, as he allegedly took a large sum of money from a previous employer in Williamson County, and spent time in DOC a few years back for filching from the Saline County Lions Club. The Williamson County charges are still pending; Oxford’s set for a next hearing in Franklin on June 6.
We are working the story in Xenia (Clay County) whereby 14 of 18 firefighters quite this past week over a gripe regarding a single village trustee. We’re still trying to find out what the actual gripe is with the trustee, Daniel Edgington, and how it is that the majority of the fire department felt compelled to quit rather than put up with him….but it must be pretty bad to prompt such action (as what occurred in Elizabethtown last year over old dead Ed Conkle….and we all know how bad it is down there.) We’ve been put on the right track on that issue, and will likely have something in the print version about it.
Of course this week is the Brandon Jenkins trial, and we have been exceptionally busy prepping for it, as the majority of it bites into our investigation time/courthouse crawls. We’ve lassoed several folks to assist this week, especially considering that both suspects charged in the murder of Bob Westall in Lawrence County, Tyler McQueen and Helen Marie Westall, are scheduled for preliminary hearings Wednesday morning, as well as the fact that Olney’s ParaCon (Paranormal Convention) is going to be held April 28….and Ang has a book appearance on that evening in Griffin at the Alumni Banquet, and her publisher and Disclosure/syndicated columnist, Michael Kleen, will be here that weekend for both events. So it’s going to be crazy…if you need to talk to us, please email first, as we tend to have more time to respond to those than trying to call back from messages on the tipline….and as always, if you call one of our cell phones and your number shows up “private,” we’re not going to answer it; you’ll just have to text first, then we’ll call you back. Hang in there everybody…it’s going to be bumpy, but should be DAMN interesting……