Bond set for the accused in St. Joseph murder, victims' identities are released

Judge Tom Difanis set bond for Jonathon Perry, accused of killing his girlfriend Kimberly Coyne, age 54, and her daughter Blair Coyne, age 24, at $2.5 million earlier today.

Perry, who is 28 years old, is being held responsible for shooting both women early Monday morning in the home they shared located just north of Interstate 74 at 1600 N. and CR2200E. He is charged with four counts for each victim for at total of eight.

The accused was located at his parent's home in Homer by the deputies after his mother contacted dispatchers around 4:15am. She made the call after her son made statements that raised her concern about the well-being of his girlfriend and her daughter.

Deputies were simultaneously dispatched to the Homer and St. Joseph. Kimberly's body was found in the home while Blair's was located face down in the driveway both with gunshot wounds yet to be disclosed investigators. Weapons were reportedly found near both of the deceased.

At the time of his arrest Perry was wearing multiple pairs of pants and had an empty gun holster in the leg of one pair. When questioned where the guns were, he said the guns were "with the Devil and the Anti-Christ".

Perry, who was released from prison in July 2016 after serving about four years of an an eight year sentence for residential burglary, is scheduled to be back in court on April 16 for a probable cause hearing.

Two St. Joseph residents found dead, suspect in custody

Early this morning, Champaign County deputies arrested Jonathon Perry, of Homer, now held in custody at the Champaign County Correctional Center, on the preliminary charge murder after deputies performed a welfare check on a residence located on Shore Drive in St. Joseph.

While searching the property around 4:15am this morning, deputies found two deceased females whose identification is being withheld pending notification of the victims' families.

"Deputies were advised that an individual, later identified as Jonathon Perry, made statements which led the reporting person to believe the resident(s) had been injured and/or possibly killed," Sheriff's Office said in a release this morning.

Multiple first-degree murder charges are expected to be filed against Perry on Monday. If convicted of both murders, he faces a mandatory sentence of natural life behind bars.

In March of 2012, the Vermilion County Sheriff’s Department on Monday arrested Perry, then 20, and two other men on felony counts of burglary after residents throughout Sidell filed 10 separate car burglary reports. He was subsequently sentenced to an eight year prison term for his participation in a string of auto and residential thief.

Perry, at the age 17, was charged with burglary and possession of a stolen vehicle in 2009. Charges were dropped after the state crime lab due to the lack of physical evidence in those incidents as well as several alleged car fires in Homer and Sidney.

The Sheriff’s Office and Champaign County Coroner’s Office continue their investigation in the double homicide case. The two victims died from apparent gunshot wounds.