VIRDEN – Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) – Zone 6 provided more information about the active investigation into what they now call a homicide in Virden, that occurred on February 1, 2021.
The State Police said: "At 11:54 p.m. on February 1, 2021, Virden Police Department responded to a residence in the 700 block of North Dye Street, Virden, for a welfare check. Upon arrival, Virden Police officers made entry to the residence and located the lifeless body of a 58-year-old male. The victim is identified as John Rennie. There was trauma to Rennie’s body that led officers to believe someone had killed him. Virden PD requested Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigation - Zone 6 to respond to the scene to initiate a criminal investigation."
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ISP then explained that in the wake of the incident, Dalton M. Obermark, a 20-year-old male of Carlinville, left the Virden area, arriving in the central Kentucky / Tennessee area. The office of Jordan Garrison, the Macoupin County State’s Attorney, issued a warrant for Obstructing Justice (Class 4 Felony) for Obermark who was taken into custody by Kentucky law enforcement officials on February 3, 2021, in Russellville, KY. The information charges Obermark, with the intent to obstruct the prosecution of himself, while possessing material knowledge regarding the death of John Rennie, left the State of Illinois.
Obermark is facing unrelated charges in Logan County, KY., and is refusing extradition on the Illinois charge of Obstructing Justice. An autopsy of Rennie’s body was completed on February 2 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 Virden PD. No additional information is available at this time.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact ISP DCI Zone 6 Agents at (618) 484-5592 or (618) 484-5189.
