18-year-old Mount Morris man charged with attempted murder

Deputies say he attacked two people older than 60

Malachi M. Voight in February 2024

Editor’s note: Because of an error in the charging document, this story originally referred to both of the seniors as women. In fact, one is a man and one is a woman. This story has been edited to correct the error.

OREGON – An 18-year-old Mount Morris man is in the Ogle County jail facing charges of attempted murder. According to the charging document, Malachi M. Voight hit a 62-year-old man in the head with a dumbbell, intentionally trying to kill him, then tried to strangle him and bit a piece of a toe off a woman who also is older than 60.

Voight, formerly of Rockford, also is charged in Ogle County court with two counts of aggravated battery of a person older than 60 and two counts of aggravated battery.

According to a post Wednesday by the Ogle County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responding to an altercation at the Mount Morris Estates Trailer Park at 3:40 a.m. Feb. 14 and found Voight fighting with the two.

They were taken to KSB Hospital in Dixon with serious injuries.

Voight also was taken to KSB, although the extent of his injuries was not provided in the post.

Charges were filed Feb. 16, and Voight was arrested Tuesday upon his release from the hospital, according to the post. He is in jail pending the result of a detention hearing Thursday.

Attempted murder is punishable by six to 30 years in prison, and each of the battery charges carries three- to seven-year sentences.

If convicted of any of the charges, Voight must serve 85% of his sentence before being eligible for parole.

When reached by phone at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, the person whom police said was hit by the dumbbell said that he was at home and recovering.

Kathleen Schultz

Kathleen A. Schultz

Kathleen Schultz is a Sterling native with 40 years of reporting and editing experience in Arizona, California, Montana and Illinois.