UPDATE: Man Arrested In Kentucky In Connection to Virden Death

By Benjamin Cox on February 5, 2021 at 5:25pm

WLDS News reported in the 5PM Hour tonight that a man had possibly been murdered in his home in Virden. The Illinois State Police has issued a press release saying a man has been arrested in the State of Kentucky in connection to that alleged homicide.

20 year old Dalton M. Obermark of Carlinville left the Virden area shortly after the discovery of the body of 58 year old John Rennie in the 700 block of North Dye Street in Virden on Monday. Obermark then headed for central Kentucky and Tennessee. After an investigation into Rennie’s potential homicide, Macoupin County State’s Attorney Jordan Garrison’s office issued a warrant for Obermark’s arrest on the grounds of Obstruction of Justice, a Class 4 felony.

Obermark was taken into custody by Kentucky police officials on Wednesday near Russellville, Kentucky. The criminal information charges Obermark with the intent to obstruct his own prosecution, while possessing material knowledge of the death of Rennie.

Obermark is facing unrelated charges in Logan County, Kentucky and is refusing extradition on the Illinois charge of Obstructing Justice. An autopsy of Rennie’s body was completed Tuesday and results are still pending. Investigators believe there is no additional threat to the community related to this incident. ISP DCI Zone 6 is leading this open and on-going investigation with the assistance of the Virden Police Department. No additional information is available at this time. Anyone with information regarding this incident are asked to contact ISP DCI Zone 6 Agents at (618) 484-5592 or (618) 484-5189.