2 Found Dead In Separate Homes, Man Charged In Double Murder

OLNEY, IL — A 25-year-old man is facing murder charges after two people were found dead in separate homes in Olney, Illinois.

According to Illinois State Police, the Olney Police Department and Richland County Sheriff's Office requested state police handle the double homicide investigation.

Olney police and sheriff's deputies responded to two homes in the 400 block of East Monroe Street in Olney just after 3 p.m. Thursday. Two people were found dead inside the homes: 52-year-old John D. Jones Jr., and 73-year-old Deborah J. Jones.

State police said their initial investigation reveals that Dylan Jones, 25, struck John Jones in the head with a "sharp-edged instrument" and stabbed Deborah Jones with a knife.

The Richland County Coroner's Office is determining their official causes of death.

Dylan Jones was arrested on six counts of first-degree murder.

State police have not released any information on the relationship between Dylan Jones and the two victims. Public records list the same address for Dylan Jones and John Jones Jr.

Dylan Jones appeared in court on Thursday, where he was appointed a public defender. Jones will remain in custody pending a fitness evaluation, according to court records.

He is due back in court on July 23.

Court records show Dylan Jones previously pleaded guilty to domestic battery in an October 2024 case and received 12 months of conditional discharge and was required to take domestic violence classes.