Illinois Couple Dies After Calling FBI

Two days after they agreed to talk with FBI agents in April 2007, an Illinois man and wife were found shot to death and their rural home set on fire. George and Linda Weedon had agreed to cooperate with an FBI investigation into a farmer who hid a tractor on their property while going through bankruptcy.

No one has been charged in the deaths of the Keyesport, Illinois couple.

The FBI was conducting an investigation into the possible bankruptcy fraud of Joseph Diekemper, who owned a farm near the Weedons. In June, Diekemper and his wife were charged with bankruptcy fraud after investigators learned that they had hid various pieces of farm equipment in several place, including a tractor which was found behind a fake wall in the Weedon's barn.

In court documents filed this week, Weedon told the FBI that he would cooperate with their investigation, but he feared that Diekemper would burn down his house if he found out he was helping the FBI.

Fire Destroyed Some Evidence

Two days later, firefighters found the bodies of George and Linda when they responded to a fire at their house. George Weedon, 37, was found in a car near the burning house. Linda Weedon, 41, was found inside the burning home. Both had been shot to death.

Illinois investigators have not found enough evidence to charge anyone with their murders.

"It's absolutely frustrating," Sgt. Dave Wasmuth told reporters. "It's not unusual for some murder cases, if they're not solved in the first week, to drag out like this. But this one in particular — it's not a typical neighborhood, it's so very remote. The fire burned a substantial amount of time before anyone saw it, and destroyed some evidence."

See Also:
Feds: FBI Call Preceded 2007 Deaths of Ill. Couple

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