A Maquon resident accused of fatally poisoning her longtime partner and the town’s retired police chief with eye drops and other medications has been found guilty of first degree murder, attempted first degree murder, and aggravated battery.
Judge Andrew Doyle issued the bench trial verdict against Marcy Oglesby early Thursday afternoon at the Knox County Courthouse.
Evidence showed that Oglesby, 53, began poisoning her longtime partner Richard “Rick” Young in summer 2021 until his death on Nov. 1, 2021, lacing his coffee with eye drops and mixing crushed medication into his food. She then concealed his body in a storage unit across from their shared Maquon home, where it remained undiscovered until Oct. 7, 2022, in advanced decomposition.
The two-and-a-half-day trial featured testimony from 26 witnesses and over 50 exhibits, with expert insights from DNA, paternity, forensic pathology, toxicology, and digital forensics specialists.
Knox County State’s Attorney Ashley Worby, who prosecuted the case on behalf of the People of the State of Illinois, said Young, known as “Rick the Cop,” was a beloved Maquon police chief whose compassion touched neighbors, family, and stray animals.
“After years of patience and persistence, Rick, and his family and friends finally have justice,” Worby said. “This guilty finding holds the defendant accountable for an unthinkable betrayal and loss.”
Oglesby’s sentencing is set for Sept. 3, closing a nearly three-year investigation into the case.
