Police raise reward, release profile of killer in unsolved Sycamore double murder
SYCAMORE, Ill. (WLS) -- Authorities in Sycamore released a profile of a killer Wednesday, hoping it would solve a double murder in the suburb dating back to last year.
A reward in the murder of Robert Wilson and his elderly mother Patricia now stands at $50,000. The pair were murdered in August 2016. The double murder was the only murder the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office investigated in 2016, and it remains unsolved nearly 10 months later.
At the time, deputies discovered the badly beaten bodies of Patricia and Robert inside their secluded Sycamore home.
"This is a terrible crime perpetrated on an elderly mother and her son. I can assure you that the DeKalb County Sheriff will do everything possible to find the person responsible for this crime," said Deputy Chief Andy Sullivan on August 15, 2016.
Since then, Sullivan said, the Sheriff's office has received and followed up on more than 1,100 leads. Still, investigators have no suspect and no clear motive for the killing.
The Wilsons were last seen at church on August 14, the morning of the day police believe they were murdered. After church, police said, they ate breakfast with friends at approximately 10:30 a.m. Robert then took his mother home and went to the Sycamore Moose Lodge around 12 p.m. He left at approximately 4:30 p.m., police said, and returned home. Patricia spoke to a relative at 7:43 p.m. on August 14.
The Wilsons' white Impala was then recorded by a traffic camera at 12:44 a.m. on August 15, 2016, traveling east on Illinois State Route 64 at Route 59, police said. Police were called for a death investigation at the home at 6 p.m. on August 15, 2016.
CrimeStoppers is now upping the ante, doubling the reward for information to $50,000.
"We want the public to realize and to think back to this time frame and recognize if they noticed out of the ordinary during this time frame. Whether they noticed anybody wearing a different type of clothing," Sullivan said.
Police said those familiar with them may have seen them immediately after the murders that night wearing different clothes that may have not fit well, and that they may have looked like they'd been in a fight. Other signs may include other common behavioral changes, like suddenly leaving the area, changes in mood or demeanor, increased use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco, and withdrawing from social contact.
The case traces from rural Sycamore to downtown Chicago, where Patricia Wilson's car was found abandoned near the Lincoln Park Zoo on August 24, nine days after the murder.
Police said a significant amount of physical evidence was recovered from the crime scene, and the police lab was able to develop a full DNA profile of the still-anonymous suspect. That DNA has not yet been matched so far in the investigation.
The case was also reviewed by the FBI's Behavior Analysis Unit in Quantico, Va., which produced a profile of the possible killer. That profile said the suspect may have been in Sycamore for several days prior to the crime and that they are likely familiar with the Sycamore area and may have ties to the community, such as a friend or relative, employment or use of some sort of service available there. The profile said the suspect may be leading a transient lifestyle, and likely relied on public transportation or getting a ride from someone else to get around the area. The FBI said it is possible the suspect utilized public services or assistance in Sycamore in the past.
The FBI also said the perpetrator likely has similar ties to the Lincoln Park area of Chicago, possibly through a friend or family member, or use similar use of public services there.
Police are hoping the increased reward may entice someone with information - or the killer themselves - to come forward.
