On April 27th, the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office received a concerning call about the welfare of an elderly female resident in the 3100 block of West Aire Drive in Springfield. The callers reported that they had not heard from the woman for several days and were worried about her safety.
Upon arrival, the responding deputies were unable to make contact with anyone at the residence. However, upon further investigation, they spotted someone down inside the house and entered. Deputies discovered the lifeless body of a 64-year-old woman.
The Sangamon County Sheriff's Office Investigation Division quickly responded to the scene and obtained a search warrant for the premises. After interviewing friends and witnesses, detectives determined that the woman's death was suspicious and began a homicide investigation.
Within hours, a family member of the deceased became a person of interest. Detectives tracked down the suspect's whereabouts at around 1:00 a.m. on Friday. However, when deputies attempted to stop the suspect's vehicle, the person fled, leading to a short pursuit. The suspect pulled into a driveway but refused to exit the vehicle. Eventually, the individual threw an AR-15 rifle out of the window and surrendered.
Due to a medical event, the suspect was transported to Saint John's Hospital and remains guarded. The Sangamon County Sheriff's Office has assured the community that there is no ongoing threat to public safety.
The investigation is ongoing, and the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office is working closely with the Sangamon County Coroner's Office and the Sangamon County State's Attorney's Office.
