Investigation Update: August 14th, 2016 Homicide of Patricia and Robert Wilson, Sycamore, Illinois

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office is issuing this review and update on the Patricia and Robert Wilson Homicide Investigation and requesting assistance from the community. On August 15, 2016, just before 6pm, the Sheriff’s Office responded to a call at 16058 Old State Road in rural Sycamore where Patricia A. Wilson (85 YOA) and her son Robert J. Wilson (64 YOA) were found deceased inside of the residence. The DeKalb County Coroner’s Office determined the cause of death was due to blunt force trauma.

The following depicts a timeline of events that occurred on August 14, 2016:

• August 14, 2016, Patricia and Robert attend Sunday Morning Service at 9:15am at St. John’s Lutheran Church on Brickville Road in Sycamore.
• After Service, Patricia and Robert had breakfast with friends at Sycamore Cafe at approximately 10:30am
• Robert and Patricia returned home, and he later leaves for the Sycamore Moose Lodge at approximately 12:00pm.
• Robert left the Moose Lodge in the late afternoon and goes home at approximately 4:30pm.
• Patricia spoke with a relative on the telephone at approximately 7:43pm on August 14th, 2016.
• The Wilson’s white Impala is recorded by a traffic camera after midnight traveling east on IL State Rt. 64 at Rt. 59 at 00:44am, on August 15, 2016.
• The Impala is first documented on a CTA bus video parked on North Stockton on August 15, 2016, at 11:58am.
• The Sheriff’s Office received the call for a death investigation at 16058 Old State Road just before 6pm on August 15, 2016.
• The DeKalb County Major Case Squad was activated at approximately 6:45pm.
• The Wilson’s white Impala is located by the Chicago Police Department on North Stockton near the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago on August 24, 2016.

Investigators from the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office, DeKalb County Major Case Squad, in cooperation with the DeKalb county Coroner’s Office, and the DeKalb County State’s Attorney Office continue to work with other law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, on this case. During the early stages of this investigation, the case was entered into the FBI’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (ViCAP) database. ViCAP Web is a state-of-the-art behavior-based crime analysis tool structured to address the violent crime problems impacting law enforcement agencies today. It enables law enforcement agencies to collect, collate, enter, and analyze their own violent crime information on a local level, and facilitates the identification of similar cases on a regional, state and national basis.

Throughout this investigation over eleven hundred leads have been developed and investigated. This crime yielded a significant amount of physical evidence which was collected from the crime scene and submitted to the Illinois State Crime Lab. We have been working closely with the State Crime Lab, which has done an excellent job of analyzing and processing these items of evidence. As a result, the lab has developed a complete DNA profile from evidence within the crime scene. The use of this DNA profile and other advanced forensic investigative tools and techniques has allowed us to better focus this investigation. So far, the investigation has not yielded any matches the the DNA profile.

In addition, the Wilson Case is being reviewed by the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit which is based out of Quantico, Virginia and the Unit has provided the following information about the case: The perpetrator may have been in the Sycamore area for several days prior to the crime. The perpetrator is familiar with the Sycamore area and may have ties to the community, such as a friend or relative, employment, or obtaining some type of service available in the Sycamore area. Based on the investigative information, the perpetrator may have been living a transient lifestyle. The perpetrator likely relied on public transportation r obtaining a ride from someone to get to and around Sycamore. It is possible the perpetrator utilized public services or assistance in Sycamore in the past. It is possible that in the days leading up to the crime, the perpetrator attempted entry into other homes in the greater Sycamore area. Through investigation, the perpetrator likely has similar ties to the Lincoln Park area of Chicago, possibly through the residence of a friend or family member, or similar use of public services there.

Anyone familiar with him and seeing him immediately after the homicides that night may have noticed him wearing different clothes that may not have fit him very well. He may have appeared to have been in some type of fight. In the days following the crime, people around him may have noticed certain common post-offense behaviors, including but not limited to, suddenly departing the area, changes in mood or demeanor, changes in lifestyle patterns, increasing his use of drugs, tobacco, or alcohol, or withdrawing from social contact with others. He may have changed his appearance, such as hair style or facial hair. He may have paid abnormal attention to the news coverage of this particular crime.

The community is encouraged to provide any information that they may have to help solve this crime for the family and the DeKalb County and Sycamore Communities. Law enforcement has the ability to rule out innocent persons. As a result of private donations, DeKalb County Crime Stoppers announces a CASH REWARD of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for this crime. Individuals may call Crime Stoppers at 815-895-3272 or email Crime Stoppers at Crimestoppers@dekalbcounty.org .

For more information regarding this case, please visit the Crime Stopper website at www.crimestoppers.dekalbcounty.org. Anyone who believes that they may have information regarding the Robert and Patricia Wilson homicides should call Crime Stoppers at 815-895-3272.

The Sheriff’s Office remains n regular contact with Patricia and Robert’s family to ensure that they are appropriately updated with the investigation. We continue to hold them in our thoughts and prayers and ask that you do the same. DeKalb County Law Enforcement, along with the Wilson family, and the entire Sycamore and DeKalb County Community are committed to finding the perpetrator(s) of this crime.

Reward Information: $50,000
This reward account is being held by the Resource Bank in Sycamore located at 351 N. Main Street. Donations to the Crime Stoppers Wilson Reward Account can be made at any local Resource Bank. For questions on how to donate, please call the Resource Bank in Sycamore at 815-895-1703.

Sheriff Roger Scott
Chief Deputy Andy Sullivan