Sarah Safranek, 27, who has been held in the Ogle County Correctional Center since her arrest in April 2021, entered her plea in front of Judge John Redington on Wednesday, March 27, 2024.
Duane Meyer is charged with four counts of first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated arson and one count of concealment of a homicidal death in connection with the Oct. 19, 2016, Byron house fire in which Margaret “Maggie” (Rosko) Meyer, 31, was found dead.
Jurors found Matthew Plote, 36, of Malta, guilty of killing Melissa Lamesch 27, and her unborn baby on Nov. 25, 2020, and then setting her home on fire to conceal their deaths.
Jurors deliberated for two hours Friday night before they found Matthew T. Plote, 36, of Malta, guilty of murdering Melissa Lamesch, 27, who was nine months pregnant Nov. 25, 2020 – just one day before Thanksgiving and two days before the baby was to be born.
She had spoken to Melissa Lamesch just hours before she was found dead, facedown on the kitchen floor of her burning home.
There was no soot in Melissa Lamesch's lungs or airways, pathologists for the prosecution said at the trial of Matthew T. Plote, accused in her death.
Tuesday was the first day of testimony at the trial.
Matthew Plote waived his right to a 12-person jury on Monday, opting for six people to decide his fate.
Process of leaving the West Carroll School District and joining the River Bend School District is highly regulated by school code and legal requirements, official says.