Dismemberment Case Isn't First Slaying To Rock Plainfield-Area Man's Family

Years before Dalewayne Turner died, his mother was killed by her husband. Now his half-brother and wife face charges tied to his death.

By Emily Rosca, Patch Staff

Jul 10, 2026 12:00 pm CDT

Twelve years before a pair was charged with concealment of a homicide and dismembering a human being, the victim's mother was killed by his stepfather. (Peter Senzamici/Patch)

PLAINFIELD, IL — The gruesome dismemberment case that has rocked the Plainfield area isn't the first slaying to affect the victim's family.

Prosecutors say Dalewayne Turner was slain in his Ruth Fitzgerald Drive home before his wife, Robin Turner, and half-brother, James Adams, dismembered him, placing some body parts in a chest freezer at the home and dumping others in Lake Mattoon more than three hours away.

But more than a decade ago, Dalewayne Turner's mother was slain by her husband.

On March 31, 2014, John Adams shot his wife, 52-year-old Kendra Turner Adams, in the head with a small-caliber weapon, killing her, according to multiple reports.

John Adams is reportedly the father of James Adams, the 26-year-old man charged with concealment of a homicide and dismembering a human being in connection with the death of 38-year-old Dalewayne Turner. The victim's wife, Robin Turner, 62, faces the same charges.

In 2014, police responded to Kendra Turner Adams' home in West Frankfort. John Adams initially told police he found his wife unresponsive but later confessed to the shooting, according to a report from KFVS 12.

Kendra Turner Adams died the next day in a hospital. Her obituary described her as "a wonderful homemaker." It also said she was survived by 10 children, including Dalewayne Turner and James Adams.

A judge sentenced John Adams to 65 years in prison after he eventually pleaded guilty to two counts of murder during a jury trial.

John Adams was pleaded guilty to the 2014 slaying of Kendra Turner Adams and remains at Menard Correctional Center at age 78. (Illinois Department of Corrections)

Another Homicide Rocks Family

Now, more than a decade later, prosecutors say James Adams admitted to a relative, and later to police, that he stabbed Dalewayne Turner to death at the home they shared.

In a complaint filed this week in Will County, prosecutors say Robin Turner, Dalewayne's wife, admitted to purchasing the chest freezer where many of his remains would be found days after boaters discovered part of his severed arm in Lake Mattoon.

The family member called 911 on June 30, saying that "James told him that during the violent encounter James grabbed a knife and stabbed Dalewayne several times" before he bled out and died, prosecutors said.

Adams told his relative, "I killed Dale, he is in the freezer," prosecutors say. He and Robin Turner also mentioned they took several body parts to the lake.

Prosecutors say James Adams also told investigators, "The one thing I will say is that I did it, but I did it out of self-defense. I will tell you guys that."

The investigation began two days earlier, when recreational boaters on Lake Mattoon in central Illinois discovered a partial severed arm bearing distinctive tattoos, including a skeleton holding a Green Bay Packers helmet.

While executing a search warrant at the Ruth Fitzgerald Drive home, prosecutors say state police found the freezer in the basement containing "a torso, neck, and head, but no limbs." The Illinois Department of Natural Resources's search of Lake Mattoon turned up garbage bags filled with more dismembered human remains determined to be those of Dalewayne Turner, Patch reported.

Although murder charges have not been filed in the Dalewayne Turner case, Illinois State Police said last week that additional charges were expected.

On Thursday, the Will County State's Attorney's Office told Patch they could not say whether murder charges would be filed.

Detention hearings for Robin Turner and James Adams were delayed this week. Turner is set to appear in court July 17, while Adams' new court date is July 29, according to prosecutors.

Dalewayne Turner's cousin, Chrystal Mann, told ABC Chicago that his death and the allegations against his wife and half-brother have left the family devastated and "literally made me sick to my stomach."

She told the outlet that Dalewayne Tuner had taken custody of Adams after their mother was killed when Adams was just 13 years old.

A GoFundMe campaign launched to help pay for honoring Dalewayne's memory and giving "him the farewell he deserves" said the family is heartbroken.

"Dalewayne was a huge Chicago Bears fan, and his passion for the team brought so much joy to our family gatherings," the fundraiser says. "He was always the first to cheer during games and loved sharing his excitement with everyone around him. Dalewayne’s sense of humor and kindness made him a beloved friend to many, and he always went out of his way to help others."

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