Murder Victim Found In Elgin Apartment After Suspicous Fire
ELGIN (STMW) -- An Elgin woman has been charged with murdering a 61-year-old acquaintance found dead in his burning northwest suburban apartment Saturday morning. Charges are pending against a second suspect, police said.
Jessica Leach, 28, of the 0-99 block of Poplar Creek in Elgin, was charged with one count of first-degree murder, according to a statement from Elgin spokeswoman Sue Olafson. Leach is scheduled to appear at a Monday bond hearing in Kane County.
Police believe Leach and a second suspect were attempting to rob 61-year-old James S. Granger at his apartment at 1 Times Square in Elgin, Olafson said.
Leach, a "friend" of Granger, signaled the second person to come into the apartment early Saturday, police said. At some point the apartment was set on fire.
Emergency personnel responded about 4:45 a.m. Saturday to call of smoke coming from Granger's apartment, Olafson said. Firefighters found the badly burned body while extinguishing the suspicious blaze.
Charges against the second suspect are pending but are not expected to be filed for "several more days."
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2010. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
