ALBION, Ill. – A southern Illinois judge was found shot to death at his home on Election Day. His wife has since been charged with killing him.
According to a statement from the Illinois State Police, deputies with the Edwards County Sheriff’s Office were called to a home in the 1100 block of County Road 600 in Albion just before 12:15 p.m. on Tuesday.
Deputies arrived to find Illinois Second Judicial Circuit Court Judge Michael J. Valentine laying dead outside the residence. Megan S. Valentine, 44, was taken into custody.
The sheriff’s office asked the ISP to handle the investigation.
On Thursday, the Illinois State’s Attorney Appellate Prosecutor’s Office charged Megan Valentine with first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, aggravated discharge of a firearm, and aggravated domestic battery.
Valentine is being held at the White County Jail. She’s scheduled to make her first appearance in court on Friday morning.
A motive was not mentioned.