Four people, including a suspect, were killed and one injured in a rural Ashland crime spree. The victims and suspect have been identified by police.
On Thursday, Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies, Ashland Police, Beardstown Police, and Beardstown EMS responded to the 300 block of Philadelphia Road in rural Ashland for a stomach-shot male.
The Illinois State Police and Pleasant Plains Police also assisted.
Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies and Ashland Police located a gunshot-wounded male and a dead woman at the home. The coroner identified Autumn Bell, 19, as that woman. That was her address.
Deputies assisted the man victim until EMS came.
Based on information from the male victim, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Ashland Police, and Beardstown Police responded to another residence in the 700 block of Lockard St. in Ashland and found two more women dead They were 53-year-old Christina Bell and 16-year-old Alaria Bell.
A suspect and car were found during early investigation. Jacksonville Police stopped the suspicious vehicle at North Main and Oak Street a short time later.
An apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound was found inside the vehicle. The male suspect was pronounced dead on-scene by Morgan County Coroner. Ashland’s 62-year-old Ronald L. Cobren was the suspect.
A local hospital received the remaining male victim with life-threatening injuries.
Monday will see victim and suspect autopsies.
The case involved Illinois State Police Zone 4 Investigations, Crime Scene Division, Patrol, Ashland, Beardstown, Pleasant Plains, Cass County Sheriff’s Office, and Menard County Sheriff’s Office.
“Please keep the families and communities involved in these horrific events in your thoughts and prayers,” the Cass County Sheriff’s Office said. “Additional information will be released this afternoon.”