Two people charged with multiple violent crimes in Adams County were back in court this morning on a motion for them to submit to DNA testing.
34 year old Bradley Yohn of Springfield and 32 year old Karen Blackledge of Quincy were back in court in front of Adams Co. Judge Tad Brenner on a motion filed by prosecutors filed on Thursday requesting that the duo submit to DNA cheek swabs.
According to WGEM, Yohn and Blackledge appeared separately in court Monday. Assistant Public Defender John Citro, attorney for Yohn, and Assistant Public Defender Christopher Pratt, attorney for Blackledge, each opposed motions by Assistant State’s Attorney Laura Keck to hold the cases over for grand jury proceedings.
Brenner agreed with the prosecutor’s motion and set a preliminary hearing date for Yohn at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday and for Blackledge at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Yohn faces two counts of home invasion, one count of aggravated kidnapping, one count of aggravated vehicular hijacking, one count of aggravated criminal sexual assault, and residential burglary. Those charges are in connection with a November 9th incident that allegedly began along North Bottom Road, in rural Quincy.
He also faces felony charges in two other cases. He was charged with vehicular hijacking stemming from an October 31st incident, and he faces charges of residential burglary; two counts of theft or unauthorized control of property over $500 but under $10,000; and criminal sexual abuse. Those charges stem from an October 14th incident.
Blackledge faces two counts of home invasion, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated vehicular hijacking, residential burglary and aggravated criminal sexual assault stemming from the November 9th incident.
Investigators are also still trying to determine if Yohn and Blackledge are connected to the shooting death of f 30 year old Derek J. Banker Barnett of Virden, whose body was discovered in a nearby alley way in Springfield when the both of them were apprehended at a residence in the 1900 block of Cornell in Springfield on November 10th.
Yohn’s bond is currently set at $15 million with Blackledge’s set at $5 million. Both are being held at the Adams County Jail.