Husband Charged With Murder After Wife’s Body Found in Hatchback
Authorities in Illinois say a man has been charged with murder after deputies discovered his wife’s body in the trunk of his vehicle during a traffic stop.
John W. Finney, 51, of Jefferson County, was arrested late Monday night and charged with first-degree murder in the death of his 42-year-old wife, Amy J. Finney. According to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the case began around 8:03 p.m. when deputies responded to a 911 call reporting a possible homicide at the couple’s residence in the 7500 block of North Illinois Highway 148, near Mount Vernon.
The caller provided details about the location and also described the suspect’s vehicle, a 2007 Ford Escape. About an hour later, an officer from the Christopher Police Department spotted the SUV on Illinois Highway 14 and began following it until backup arrived.
Deputies from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and several other agencies soon joined the pursuit. The vehicle was stopped on Birch Road in rural DuQuoin, where officers conducted a protective sweep and discovered the body of Amy Finney in the rear hatchback area of the SUV.
Meanwhile, Jefferson County deputies secured the Finneys’ residence, where investigators believe the killing occurred. A search warrant was obtained for both the home and the vehicle. The Perry County Coroner later took custody of the victim’s body.
Authorities allege that John Finney fatally shot his wife during a domestic dispute at their home before placing her in the vehicle and driving around the area for several hours. “Preliminary evidence gathered strongly supports that Amy Finney died from a gunshot wound during a domestic dispute with John at their home,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
Cellphone GPS data reportedly showed that Finney had been driving extensively throughout the county on Monday before he was stopped.
John Finney is currently being held in the Jefferson County Jail, awaiting a pretrial detention hearing. If convicted of first-degree murder, he faces a potential life sentence.
The investigation remains ongoing, with multiple law enforcement agencies assisting. Officials have not released further details on the motive behind the killing, but domestic violence is suspected to have played a central role.
The case has shocked the rural community outside Mount Vernon, a city located about 80 miles east of St. Louis. Authorities said more information, including official autopsy results, will be released once they become available.
