The murder counts expand a case that began when boaters found part of Dalewayne Turner’s arm in Lake Mattoon.

JOLIET, Ill. — A Will County grand jury has indicted the wife and half-brother of a Plainfield man on first-degree murder charges, deepening a prosecution that began after boaters found part of the man’s arm more than 160 miles from his home. Robin Turner, 62, and James Adams, 26, are accused in the death of 38-year-old Dalewayne Turner.

The indictment adds three murder counts against each defendant to charges of dismembering a human body and concealing a homicidal death. Authorities allege Dalewayne Turner died from sharp-force injuries inside the Plainfield house he shared with both defendants. Neither defendant has been convicted, and the allegations remain subject to proof in court. The murder counts mark a major change in the case because prosecutors initially charged Adams and Robin Turner only with offenses tied to what happened to Dalewayne Turner’s body after his death.

The investigation began on the evening of June 28, when people boating on Lake Mattoon saw what they first believed might be debris or dead fish. They soon realized that the object was part of a human arm and called 911. The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department asked the Illinois State Police to take over the investigation. Search teams later recovered additional remains from the lake. Investigators used distinctive tattoos and other identifying features to determine that the victim was Dalewayne Turner, who lived in Plainfield, a Chicago suburb in Will County.

That identification shifted the investigation north to a house in the 2400 block of Ruth Fitzgerald Drive. State police executed a search warrant there July 1 and took Adams and Robin Turner into custody. Prosecutors later said investigators found Dalewayne Turner’s head, neck and torso inside a locked chest freezer in the basement. Court records describe the freezer as covered with a blanket, sealed with tape and weighed down with cinder blocks. The description comes from the prosecution’s account and has not yet been tested at trial.

According to court filings, the events inside the house began with an argument between the half-brothers on June 21. Robin Turner told investigators that Adams and Dalewayne Turner had argued about sports cards that morning. She said Dalewayne Turner later was no longer at the house and that she noticed the smell of bleach. Prosecutors allege Adams subsequently admitted that he stabbed his half-brother several times. Adams made a limited statement to investigators in which he said he had acted in self-defense, according to the court record. Authorities have not publicly detailed the evidence they say disproves or undermines that claim.

The case moved forward after another of Dalewayne Turner’s brothers, Steven Turner, contacted police. Court records say Steven Turner went to the Plainfield house and heard accounts from Adams and Robin Turner about Dalewayne Turner’s death. Steven Turner told investigators that Adams said he grabbed a knife and stabbed Dalewayne Turner several times. Steven Turner left the house and called 911, according to the filings. Prosecutors have also cited statements in which Adams and Robin Turner allegedly described Dalewayne Turner bleeding and dying from the injuries.

Investigators say the evidence of concealment extended beyond the freezer. Court documents describe recently painted areas, replacement carpeting, removed wall paneling and other signs of work inside the home. Prosecutors allege bleach was used during cleanup and that pieces of paneling were burned in an outdoor fire pit. Those details are part of the state’s claim that the defendants tried to erase evidence of a violent event rather than immediately report the death to authorities.

Records and surveillance evidence also helped investigators reconstruct trips made after Dalewayne Turner’s death, prosecutors said. Court filings allege Adams bought weights and duct tape at a Walmart in the Mattoon area. Investigators also linked the defendants to purchases of concrete and other supplies. Bags recovered from Lake Mattoon allegedly contained human remains along with weights or concrete intended to keep them underwater. License-plate reader information, retail records and surveillance video were among the materials cited by prosecutors when asking judges to keep the defendants in custody.

Authorities also examined electronic communications between Adams and Robin Turner. Prosecutors have pointed to messages about bleach, carpet cleaner, a dolly and moving heavy objects. One message attributed to Robin Turner instructed Adams to fully delete information, according to court filings. Separate reporting on the detention proceedings described internet searches connected to freezers, chloroform and divorce from a missing spouse. The significance of any individual search or message will be for the court to determine, and defense lawyers will have an opportunity to challenge how the material was collected and interpreted.

The charges connected to the treatment of Dalewayne Turner’s remains carry serious penalties on their own. Dismembering a human body is a Class X felony in Illinois, while concealment of a homicidal death is a Class 3 felony. The new first-degree murder counts place the alleged killing itself at the center of the prosecution. An indictment is a formal accusation, not a finding of guilt. Prosecutors must still prove the elements of each charge beyond a reasonable doubt, and the defendants may contest the state’s account, seek to suppress evidence or present other defenses.

The prosecution has already argued that both defendants should remain jailed while the case is pending. A Will County judge ordered Robin Turner detained under Illinois’ pretrial-release system after prosecutors described the alleged cleanup, disposal of remains and efforts to conceal evidence. Adams also remained in custody as the case advanced. Judges deciding detention do not determine ultimate guilt; they consider legal factors that include the nature of the accusations, the available evidence and whether release would create a danger or risk of interference with the court process.

The murder indictment also changes the questions facing the defense. Adams’ reported self-defense statement may become a central issue because Illinois law permits force in limited circumstances when a person reasonably believes it is necessary to prevent imminent harm. The available public filings do not provide a complete account of what happened before the stabbing, whether Dalewayne Turner was armed or what physical evidence investigators found concerning a struggle. Robin Turner’s legal position may differ because public records have focused more heavily on her alleged actions before and after the death than on an allegation that she personally inflicted the wounds.

Members of Dalewayne Turner’s family have said the case left them grieving and searching for answers. His cousin, Chrystal Mann, told local reporters that the allegations made her physically ill and that relatives were trying to arrange a funeral while following the criminal proceedings. The family’s statements have also reflected uncertainty about what occurred inside a home where Dalewayne Turner should have been safe. Those relatives now face a court process that could take months or longer as prosecutors exchange evidence with the defense and prepare for hearings.

State police initially said further charges were expected while the investigation continued. The grand jury’s murder indictment fulfills that prediction but may not resolve every issue. Authorities have not publicly released a complete forensic report, a full reconstruction of the encounter or an explanation of whether prosecutors believe the killing was planned. The precise theory behind the multiple murder counts will become clearer through the charging documents and later court proceedings.

Adams and Robin Turner remain presumed innocent. Their cases are expected to proceed in Will County Circuit Court, where they will be arraigned on the expanded charges and given opportunities to enter pleas. The court will also address discovery, motions and future scheduling as investigators continue processing physical, digital and forensic evidence connected to the house and Lake Mattoon.

Author note: Last updated July 31, 2026.