An Illinois man is facing a murder charge after authorities say they found his wife’s body in his car.
On Monday, Sept. 1, just after 8 p.m., deputies with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a homicide. The report included a description of the suspect and the vehicle, according to a press release shared on Tuesday, Sept. 2.
After issuing an alert for a gray 2007 Ford Escape, an officer with the Christopher Police Department spotted the SUV just after 9 p.m., per the release. The officer followed the car west on state highway 148 until other law enforcement officers arrived.
The driver, 51-year-old John W. Finney, was detained while investigators searched the SUV. Inside, officers say they found a dead woman, later identified as Finney’s wife, 42-year-old Amy J. Finney, the release states.
At the same time, officers searched the Finney residence in Mt. Vernon, Ill., and say they found evidence suggesting Amy was killed inside the home.
“Preliminary evidence gathered strongly supports that Amy Finney died from a gunshot wound during a domestic dispute with John at their home,” the release states. The victim’s body is now in the custody of the Perry County Coroner’s office.
John was arrested and is now facing a first-degree murder charge, the sheriff’s office said. He is being held in the Jefferson County Jail while awaiting his pretrial detention hearing. It’s unclear if he has entered a plea or hired an attorney to speak for him.
