LaSalle County double murder victims ID'd as girlfriend, acquaintance of suspect: police

SHERIDAN, Ill. (WLS) -- A daylong manhunt ended Thursday, after a double murder and house fire in the village of Sheridan in LaSalle County.

Investigators are interviewing the 45-year-old suspect to figure out why the tragedy happened.

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According to court documents, Ronald Martin of Sheridan is accused of shooting two people, identified by authorities as Sidney Schiltz, 42, and Melissa Vissman, 41.

Schiltz was shot in the back of the head, officials said. Both were shot multiple times, officials said.

The 45-year-old was taken into custody after an hours-long manhunt. He was found hiding in the brush on his family's property in rural LaSalle about 30 miles away from the crime scene.

"We obtained a search warrant for a property over in LaSalle on East Third Road," LaSalle County Undersheriff David Ortiz said. "They had vehicles; there was trailers, buildings on this property, owned by the Martin family. We found the suspect hiding, when he was taken into custody without incident."

At a press conference Friday morning, prosecutors said Martin had a dating relationship with Vissman.

"The house was dealing with a lot of narcotics, money. So, it may be an argument over theft, stealing of drugs or money. We don't know that," LaSalle County State's Attorney John Navarro said.

One witness account said Martin was "looking for money, cocaine and a gun in the safe."

The witness, who did not want to be identified, said she was in the other room when she heard her friends get shot.

Investigators believe they recovered that weapon.

"We believe we probably have it. There was some at the crime scene, weapons that is. However, before the defendant, he left the house, he set it on fire in an attempt to cover up the scene," Navarro said.

Officials said the other victims were friends and acquaintances.

They said everyone involved in the incident was helping Schiltz pack up and get ready to move, when Martin became aggressive while intoxicated.

He also stole a safe from the home, police said.

Martin now faces six counts of murder charges.

Sheriff's deputies said this all unfolded after two people were found dead at a home in Sheridan

Just after 1 a.m. Thursday, police got reports of shots fired and later reports about a fire at the home. Once the fire was out, police found the two victims.

Sheriff's deputies said two other people said they escaped: One was injured by shrapnel.

Investigators said Martin drove away in a red Dodge Ram pickup truck. But they tracked him down to a large lot owned by his family, with help from U.S. Marshals and Illinois State Police.

"With the help of air ops, which is the Illinois State Police plane, basically, up in the sky, we were able to locate his vehicle on the property," Undersheriff Ortiz said.

Martin waived his right for an immediate hearing for pre-trial release, and is scheduled to appear in court Aug. 1 to give the defense more time to review evidence.

Authorities said there are two eyewitnesses who were home at the time of the shooting.

Prosecutors face some hurdles in finding evidence for their case because of the fire that Martin allegedly started at the home after the shooting.

Martin's brother has also been questioned by police. He's accused of possibly interfering with the search for him.

They released that man Friday morning, as there was not enough evidence to file charges.

"He is a person of interest, but probably aiding and abetting versus actually being there and participating," Navarro said.