A Carlinville man has pleaded guilty to first degree murder in a 2021 stabbing in Virden
21 year old Dalton M.K. Obermark of Carlinville pled guilty yesterday to first degree murder in the February 1, 2021 stabbing death of 58 year old John W. Rennie at his home in Virden.
The Virden Police Department received a request for a well-being check at Rennie’s residence in the 700 block of North Dye Street just before midnight on February 1, 2021. Upon arrival, Virden Police officers found the garage door open and made entry into the residence where Rennie’s body was discovered with visible trauma, according to information reported by the Illinois State Police at the time.
ISP Zone 6 investigators later determined that at an undetermined time Obermark met Rennie at his residence and attacked him, stabbing him multiple times in the head, neck, and torso. According to a press release by Macoupin County State’s Attorney Jordan Garrison, Obermark took Rennie’s vehicle in an attempt to escape to the State of Florida. Obermark ran out of gas in the State of Tennessee and was taken into custody by local police at that location. Obermark was extradited back to Illinois and has been held at the Macoupin County Jail to await trial ever since.
Charges of possession of a stolen vehicle, aggravated battery through use of a deadly weapon, carrying a weapon and/or tool into a penal institution, a second charge of murder, and obstruction of justice were dismissed per the plea yesterday.