Marcy Oglesby stands accused of concealing the body of a former police chief in Illinois. (Knox County Jail)
An Illinois woman no longer stands accused of murder over a decomposing body found in her storage unit last year.
Marcy Oglesby, 50, who hails from Maquon, was arrested in early October. The body of Richard “Rick” Young, a former Maquon Police Department chief, was found in the storage unit rented by the woman at the time at Roberts Self-Storage in Maquon.
Maquon is a tiny village located about an hour south of the Quad Cities in Illinois and Iowa, which make up the same metropolitan area.
Oglesby was initially charged with one count of concealing a death, according to Moline, Illinois-based ABC affiliate WQAD.
Additional charges were added in February, including murder with a strong probability to kill or injure, attempted murder, aggravated battery by ingesting a toxic substance, and concealment of a homicidal death.
Knox County Judge Andrew Doyle dropped those charges during a motion hearing on March 16, the TV station reported. Oglesby still faces the death concealment charge, two firearm registration violations, and two forgery charges.
Oglesby successfully argued that the more significant charges against her violated her speedy trial rights.
“This office respectfully disagrees with Judge Doyle’s interpretation of Illinois law and his decision,” Knox County State’s Attorney Jeremy Karlin told Davenport, Iowa-based NBC affiliate KWQC earlier this month. “We intend to file an immediate appeal of his ruling to the Fourth District Appellate Court in Springfield.”
Illinois court records do not show an appeal in the case has been docketed as of this writing. The Knox County Jail confirmed to Law&Crime that Oglesby is only incarcerated on the concealment, unregistered gun, and forgery charges. Officials said they are unaware of any change in her case status since the murder charge was dropped.
Law&Crime contacted the Knox County State’s Attorney’s Office, but no response was immediately forthcoming.
Knox County Sheriff’s Department Detective Jeremy Moore testified in February Oglesby had been in a relationship with Young, according to Rock Island, Illinois-based CBS affiliate WHBF.
The ex-police chief’s cause of death is undetermined. However, a toxicology report showed a high chemical level commonly found in eyedrops in his system, WQAD reported.
Oglesby is currently slated for a pre-trial hearing on April 3.
The case has had several notable developments.
In late February, community members mourned the passing of Young – after his family confirmed his identity during the hearing that assessed murder charges against Oglesby earlier that same month.
But the sheriff’s department only formally identified the man’s body earlier this week.
“The Knox County Sheriff’s Office received official confirmation today that the human remains found on Friday, October 7, 2022, at 114 East 3rd Street, Maquon, are that of Richard R. Young, 71 years of age, of Maquon,” a terse press release issued March 28 reads. “Mr. Young’s immediate family has been notified. This investigation remains open and active. If anyone has any information on this case, please contact Knox County Sheriff’s Office.”
The initial investigation occurred after a suspicious smell was reported at the storage unit, the sheriff’s office alleges. The defendant allegedly claimed the smell was a dead opossum that had previously been removed. But, when deputies looked inside, Oglesby refused to open one particular box, law enforcement claims, before eventually admitting a dead man was inside.
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