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Oglesby pleads guilty to forgery, firearm charges; murder trial could begin next month

A brown storage unit next to a brick building in Maquon, Illinois.
Jane Carlson
/
Tri States Public Radio
The decomposing remains of Richard Young were found in a Maquon storage unit in October 2022.

A Knox County woman charged with murdering the former Maquon police chief has pleaded guilty to charges of forgery and possessing a firearm without a valid FOID card.

Marcy L. Oglesby, 53, still faces charges of first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a toxic substance, and concealment of a homicide in the death of Richard Young.

She is accused of poisoning Young by putting eye drops and other medication in his food and drink, then hiding his remains in a storage unit across the street from where they lived in Maquon.

Oglesby’s public defenders and the Knox County State’s Attorney’s office reached an agreement on the forgery and FOID violation charges. Those charges are related to the possession and sale of firearms that belonged to Young.

As part of the guilty plea, additional counts of forgery and a FOID violation were dismissed.

The four forgery and FOID violation charges had already been severed from the murder, battery, and concealment charges on a defense motion.

“These four charges were separated from the death-related offenses and have no bearing on that part of the case,” said Knox County State’s Attorney Ashley Worby. “We expect the other counts to proceed to trial in June.”

Worby said the charges Oglesby pleaded guilty to are Class 3 felonies.

“She is now a convicted felon, which she was not prior to her plea,” Worby said.

Per the agreement, Oglesby was sentenced to a year of conditional discharge and 180 days in the Knox County jail, with credit for time served. She was also ordered to not possess any firearms, ammunition, or dangerous weapons.

The decomposing remains of Young were discovered in October 2022, following a report of a foul odor during the Knox County Scenic Drive.

Oglesby was initially charged with concealment of a death in the case. Prosecutors then added the forgery and FOID charges. Several months later, as the investigation progressed, Oglesby was charged with murder.

A second woman was arrested on murder charges in October 2024. Karen L. Doubet, 79, also faces charges of aggravated battery with a toxic substance and concealment of a homicidal death.

Court records indicate Doubet was a “godmother figure” to Oglesby. A pretrial conference is scheduled for July 7 in Doubet’s case.

Tri States Public Radio produced this story. TSPR relies on financial support from readers and listeners in order to provide coverage of the issues that matter to west central Illinois, southeast Iowa, and northeast Missouri. As someone who values the content created by TSPR's news department please consider making a financial contribution.

Jane Carlson is TSPR's regional reporter.