Global InformationDardeen family homicides information
 From left, Elaine, Peter and Keith Dardeen | |
| Date | November 17–18, 1987 |
|---|---|
| Location | Ina, Illinois, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 38°07′35″N 88°54′14″W / 38.12636°N 88.90383°W |
| Type | Mass murder |
| Cause | Beating, firearm |
| Motive | Unknown |
| Deaths | 4 |
| Coroner | Drs. Richard Garretson and Robert Lewis |
| Suspects | Tommy Lynn Sells |
On the evening of November 18, 1987, police went to the mobile home of Russell Keith Dardeen, 29, and his family outside Ina, Illinois, United States, after he had failed to show up for work that day. There, they found the bodies of his wife and son, both brutally beaten. Ruby Elaine Dardeen, 30, who had been pregnant with the couple's daughter, had been beaten so badly she had gone into labor, and the killer or killers had also beaten the newborn to death.[1]
The killings had apparently taken place the day before. Investigators at first believed that Keith was the prime suspect. The next day, however, his body was found in a nearby field. He had been shot and his genitals mutilated;[2] his car was found parked near the police station in Benton. Forensic examination showed he had been killed within an hour of his family.
Residents of Jefferson and Franklin counties, who were already fearful after more than 10 murders had taken place locally in the preceding 2 years, became even more so. Many armed themselves; some suffered adverse psychological effects. Rumors held that the killings were the work of Satanists; police soon ruled that out as well as other motives, most from illicit behavior such as drug dealing, marital infidelity or gambling. But the crime scene also ruled out rape or robbery as associated incident crimes, and in the absence of any clear cause or leads the crime remained unsolved.
No suspects were identified in the quadruple homicide until the 2000s, after serial killer Tommy Lynn Sells, following his conviction and death sentence for murdering a teenage girl in Texas, claimed to have committed the crime.[3] However, he was never charged since prison authorities there would not let him leave the state to assist police in Southern Illinois with their investigation, and they as well as the Dardeen family have doubts about his account of the killings. The case is otherwise cold.
- ^ Suhr, Jim (April 12, 2014). "Unsolved 1987 slaying of Illinois family haunting". Associated Press. Retrieved November 6, 2017 – via Northwest Herald.
- ^ Fanning, pp. 51–54.
- ^ Malkovich, Becky (May 16, 2010). "Interview with a murderer". The Southern Illinoisan. Retrieved November 6, 2017.