(From left) James Adams and Robin Turner.
WILL COUNTY, Ill. - Two people previously accused of concealing the death and dismembering the body of Plainfield man are now facing murder charges after an investigation by Illinois State Police.
ISP announced Friday that James Adams, 26, and Robin Turner, 62, have each been charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the death of 38-year-old Dalewayne Turner.
The new charges were approved by the Will County State's Attorney's Office on Wednesday, roughly a month after a boater discovered Turner's severed arm floating in Lake Mattoon.
Both Adams and Turner remain in custody.
Severed arm found in Lake Mattoon
The backstory:
The investigation began on June 28 when boaters found a severed human arm with a distinctive Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers tattoo in Lake Mattoon.
The tattoo helped investigators identify the victim as Dalewayne Turner of Plainfield.
After the initial discovery, Illinois State Police searched both the lake and a residence in Plainfield, uncovering additional evidence that led to the arrests of Adams and Robin Turner.
On July 2, both suspects were initially charged with concealment of a homicidal death and dismembering a human body.
What investigators say happened
Dig deeper:
Will County court documents identify Adams as Dalewayne Turner's half-brother and Robin Turner as his wife.
According to the documents, Adams admitted to fatally stabbing Dalewayne Turner, while Robin Turner did not contact law enforcement after the killing.
Investigators allege the two took extensive steps to conceal the crime, including using bleach to clean the home and mask odors, repainting portions of the house, removing and burning wood paneling in a fire pit, and disposing of rugs.
Court records describe a large amount of blood at the scene and state that Dalewayne Turner's body was dismembered. Some of his remains were placed in a freezer that investigators say was purchased specifically for that purpose.
The video below is from a previous Fox Chicago report. Keep reading the story below.
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Severed arm in Illinois lake: Court records say body parts found in freezer, half-brother claimed self-defense
New details have emerged in the case of a severed arm bearing a distinctive Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers tattoo that was recovered from an Illinois lake, leading investigators to identify the victim.
Authorities allege the remains were placed in trash bags, weighted down, sealed with duct tape and transported to Lake Mattoon, where they were dumped in an effort to prevent the victim from being found and identified.
Prosecutors said one weighted bag came apart, allowing Dalewayne Turner's tattooed arm to surface. Boaters discovered the arm on the evening of June 28.
A dive team later recovered additional weighted bags containing human remains from the lake.
"I did it out of self-defense"
What they're saying:
After Adams was taken into custody June 30, court documents say he confessed to the killing but claimed he acted in self-defense.
"The one thing I will say is that I did it, but I did it out of self-defense. I will tell you guys that," James said.
During an interview with investigators June 30, Robin Turner said Adams and Dalewayne Turner argued in the living room before Adams stabbed him multiple times.
According to court documents, Adams later told Robin Turner that Dalewayne Turner either fell or was pushed down a staircase after the stabbing and that he placed the body in a freezer.
Robin Turner told investigators she believed the body was still in the freezer, which she said she purchased from Best Buy on June 19 after her previous freezer broke.
She also told investigators that the repainting and remodeling inside the home were part of renovation work completed between June 21 and June 30.
On July 1, Illinois State Police agents searched the home and found a downstairs freezer with what appeared to be a bloodstain dripping from a drain hole, according to court records.
Investigators opened the freezer and found a partial body consisting of a torso, neck and head, but no limbs, court documents state.
What's next:
Robin Turner's next court date is scheduled for Aug. 3, while Adams will make his next appearance on Sept. 10.
The Source: The information in this article came from the Will County court documents, Illinois State police and previous Fox Chicago reporting.