Shaw Local

News   •   Sports   •   eNewspaper   •   The Scene
Sauk Valley

Ogle County judge to allow jurors to see majority of crime scene photos in 2016 deaths of mother, 3-year-old

Jury trial scheduled for January 2026

Ogle County Judge John "Ben" Roe speaks during a motion hearing for Duane Meyer, 43,  onTuesday, Aug. 5, 2025. 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 an Oct. 19, 2016, Byron house fire in which his ex-wife, Margaret “Maggie” (Rosko) Meyer, 31, was found dead.

An Ogle County judge ruled Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025, that jurors will be allowed to see the majority of crime scene photos during the trial of a Stillman Valley man who is charged with killing his ex-wife in 2016, setting her Byron home on fire, and killing their 3-year-old son.

Duane Meyer, 43, 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 an Oct. 19, 2016, Byron house fire in which his ex-wife, Margaret “Maggie” (Rosko) Meyer, 31, was found dead.

The couple’s 3-year-old son, Amos Meyer, who also was home at the time of the fire, was later pronounced dead at a Rockford hospital.

Margaret “Maggie” (Rosko) Meyer and Amos Meyer

Meyer has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges and has been held in the Ogle County Jail since his arrest on Oct. 9, 2019.

On Tuesday, Aug. 5, Ogle County Judge John “Ben” Roe revealed his decision after researching case law and reviewing arguments made during a June 27 motion in limine hearing by Meyer’s attorney, Christopher DeRango of Rockford, and Assistant Ogle County State’s Attorney Matthew Leisten

DeRango had argued against allowing jurors to see certain autopsy and crime scene photos while Leisten said the images were needed to augment testimony by prosecution witnesses.

The purpose of a motion in limine hearing (Latin for “on the threshold”) is to determine whether certain evidence can be presented to a jury.

Those motions are commonly entered and argued before a trial begins in order for the judge to determine whether certain items or statements can be allowed as evidence and presented to jurors.

Ogle County State's Attorney Mike Rock (center) listens to Ogle County Judge John "Ben" Roe's decision during a Tiuesday, Aug. 5, 2025 hearing for Duane Meyer, 43, of Stillman Valley. Pictured with Rock are two of his assistants, Matthew Leisten (left) and Allison Huntley.

Leisten argued that photos taken by investigators should be allowed as evidence for jurors to see. Some of the photos described by Leisten included Maggie’s burned body lying on a sofa in her living room and the outline of the toddler’s body on the mattress in his crib.

Leisten said there was “extensive damage” referring to photos taken of the living room, arguing that multiple angles were important for arson experts to demonstrate how the fire began and how it affected her body.

DeRango argued that one photo would suffice and showing numerous angles was only intended to “shock” the jury.

Leisten said photos of the toddler’s bedroom show the fire did not start in that room and that Amos died of acute carbon dioxide poisoning before being removed from the room.

DeRango said using multiple photos of the same subject matter was meant to “elicit” sympathy for the toddler.

Leisten argued that photos of Maggie’s autopsies were needed to show that she died prior to the fire and had suffered numerous injuries before dying. He said her body was “heavily charred” with no soot found in her trachea or lungs.

And, Leisten said, prosecution experts would also testify that she died before the fire, suffering a hemorrhage at the base of her skull as well as other injuries.

Leisten also said a photo of a rock with blood on it, found outside the home, should be allowed as evidence, since DNA testing had determined the blood was Maggie’s. He argued it was important for jurors to have good visuals to refer to as doctors are testifying.

After rendering his decision, Roe set Meyer’s next status hearing for 3:30 p.m. Oct. 8. Meyer was remanded to the Ogle County Jail.

The trial is scheduled to begin Jan. 6, 2026, and take one month. It had been originally scheduled for February, but was delayed on a defense motion made by DeRango, who cited a heavy caseload as the reason for the continuance.

In previous hearings, DeRango and prosecutors have said numerous cellphone records and data will also be part of the evidence presented.

Maggie was a teacher at the Chana Education Center at the time of her death. She filed for divorce in 2014, and court records show the divorce was finalized in September 2016.

Prosecutors have argued that their evidence will show Meyer planned to end Maggie’s life.

The defense has argued that text messages sent by Meyer before the deaths were only part of a “contentious” divorce and not indicative of anything nefarious. Prosecutors disagree.

Duane Meyer, 43, exits a courtroom in the Ogle County Judicial Center following a Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025 motion hearing. 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 an Oct. 19, 2016, Byron house fire in which his ex-wife, Margaret “Maggie” (Rosko) Meyer, 31, was found dead.
Earleen Hinton

Earleen Hinton

Earleen creates content and oversees production of 8 community weeklies. She has worked for Shaw Newspapers since 1985.