In an eventful two days this week, the investigation into the tragic murder of Wheeling’s Ja’nya Murphy, 21, and her one year-old daughter Jaclyn “Angel” Dobbs took a significant turn, as the body of the infant was discovered in Northwest Indiana Thursday, “deceased and cast off in a cold pond,” according to Wheeling Police, and an arrest warrant was issued by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office for a Pinegree Grove man for the killing of Ms. Murphy.
The man, 26, was taken into custody Wednesday by the Springfield, Missouri Police Department at the request of the Wheeling Police Department. He had previously been identified as a “person of interest” in the investigation.
Wheeling Chief of Police Jamie Dunne indicated in a statement Thursday that the investigation is ongoing.
“As this investigation continues to develop we anticipate additional charges,” Dunne indicated, almost certainly referring to charges related to the infant Dobbs, among others.
“Deceased and cast off in a cold pond”
Jaclyn “Angel” Dobbs had been missing since the body of her mother, Ms. Murphy, was found late Tuesday evening by Wheeling police during a “well-being” check of her apartment prompted by concerned relatives. Murphy had not shown up for work and had had no contact with her relatives since Monday.
On Thursday, Indiana State Police were dispatched to the area of I-80 and the Kennedy Ave. ramp for a report of a person in a retention pond. The pond is located on the south side of the ramp from I-80 eastbound to northbound Kennedy Ave. When troopers arrived at the scene, they spoke to a construction worker who showed them what appeared to be an infant’s body in the retention pond. The Hammond Fire Department also arrived on scene and immediately entered the water, removing the body from the pond. It was immediately apparent that the child was dead.
Later Thursday, the body was identified by the Lake County Coroner as being Dobbs. An autopsy to determine cause of death was scheduled for Friday morning, the results of which have not yet been disclosed.
Ms. Murphy’s cause of death was determined by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office to be “strangulation and asphyxiation.” She and the accused were not married, and the accused is not the father of baby Dobbs. While witnesses have indicated that the man and Murphy were involved in a relationship, no motive for the alleged strangulation has yet been released by police.
The investigation into the murders involved representatives of over 20 suburban police departments, the Illinois State Police and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office. Anyone with information is asked to call the Wheeling Police Department at (847) 459-2632, or call 911.
