Former Dixon man, 2 others charged in LaSalle County murder

OTTAWA – A Former Dixon man is one of three people charged in the death of a 30-year-old Ottawa man.

Jason L. Ward, 29, now of Ottawa, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Darrio Hunter, as are his co-defendants, Luis A. Lomeli, 25, of rural Sheridan and Jamie Lomeli, 30, of Ottawa.

Bond was set Wednesday at $2 million each, the Ottawa Times reported.

Ottawa Police were called to an apparent stabbing Monday at a duplex on Pierce Street, where Hunter was dead in the driveway. An autopsy determined he died from blunt-force trauma, not from stab wounds, the Times reported.

Police found text messages sent from Jamie Lomeli to Hunter to set up a drug deal. The three then tried to rob Hunter, who was hit in the head while struggling with the three, the Times reported.

Ward was paroled April 27 after serving 2 years of a 4-year prison sentence for aggravated battery in Lee County.

According to court documents, he got into a scuffle with a 22-year-old Dixon man at the Citgo gas station, 500 W. Third St., Dixon, in March 2009. During the fight, Ward hit the man with a wooden stick.

He also called a Dixon woman who witnessed the fight and threatened her, court documents show.

Ward pleaded guilty in January 2010 to aggravated battery.

Ward also has been convicted of aggravated robbery in Kane County, failure to return from furlough in Will County, and residential burglary in Cook County.