Officials:4th Luecking murder suspect plotted the crime

Don Featherstone/ Kane County Illinois Sheriff's Office

UPDATE-- See updated story on Don Featherstone, murdersuspect
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Terre Haute Police Department Assistant Chief Shawn Keen, Vigo County Prosecutor Terry Modesitt and Chief Deputy Prosecutor Rob Roberts held a press conference at the THPD this afternoon to explain the latest developments in the homicide investigation of a local radio personalty earlier in the week. 

Keen informed reporters that Illinois police found Donald Featherstone, 47, of Terre Haute-- the most recently named suspect in the Matt Luecking homicide investigation-- inside the truck he drove for a living near Chicago, with  both wrists slit just hours after he allegedly murdered his ex girlfriend's boyfriend early Monday morning. Shortly after he was admitted to a hospital for treatment of his self-inflicted injuries, a warrant for his arrest was issued. He was released the following day from the hospital  and booked into the Kane County Adult Justice Center  in St. Charles, Ill. 

When officers located Featherstone, he stated "he had messed up his life and it cost someone their life,"  according to the probable cause affidavit.

Featherstone was booked in Tuesday just after 9 p.m. He remains in custody at that location with a $1 million bail, according to the detainee information listed on the jail website.

Yesterday, THPD investigators visited Featherstone at the jail.

"At this point in time, he has not voluntarily waived extradition.Whether or not that changes in the future, we'll have to see," Keen said.

It wasn't long after Terre Haute resident Luecking, 44, was killed in a cold-blood --  while he slept in his bedroom at an eastside apartment  -- that the four suspects allegedly connected to the case, were rounded up by Terre Haute Police Department detectives and assisting agencies. The manner of Luecking's death was blunt force trauma to the head.

One thing led right to another in the tracking of the suspects in the initial 24 hours and finding a possible connection to the suspects and Luecking's girlfriend.

"This was not a random act," Keen said, explaining that Featherstone was a jilted ex boyfriend of the deceased victim's current girfriend.He added there was no prior relationship with other suspects in the case and the victim.

Featherstone allegedly manipulated the other suspects into the situation that fatal night, with the expectation of profit. Featherstone's hope was to rekindle an old flame whom reportedly had no clue she was being monitored and followed  for a span of about one year. She reportedly was clueless that Luecking was in  danger.

Modesitt praised the THPD for dedication to working the case. He noted that during homicide investigations, the agencies and officials basically put everything on hold to focus on the urgent situation at hand. Modesitt, Roberts and other prosecutor's office staff worked with THPD detectives around the clock .  Keen said it's important to credit the assisting agencies in Vermillion and Parke Counties, Illinois law enforcement and the Clinton and Terre Haute Walmart loss prevention officers that assisted in the case.

Modesitt and Roberts say the case is ongoing and that it is possible  a life sentence will be sought at this time. Right now the focus is on a several week legal process for extradition of Featherstone back to Vigo County.

The four suspects and charges:

• Donald "Don" Featherstone, 47, of Terre Haute. At around noon Oct. 25, police in Illinois found the truck driver near Chicago with self-inflicted injuries. He was hospitalized for treatement. An arrest warrant, provided by  Illinois law enforcement  for service, was issued Oct. 25 at about 6:30 p.m.  The warrant is for murder, robbery and burglary. 
• John E. Collins, 24, of Terre Haute-- murder, robbery resulting in bodily injury, burglary and auto theft. Incarcerated in the Vigo County Jail Oct. 25 at around 3 a.m. 
• Benjamin "Ben" J. Selig, 28, of Rockville -- assisting a criminal as a level 5 felony. Incarcerated in the Vigo County Jail on Oct. 25 at about 2 a.m. He is the friend of Collins.
•  Kathleen "Katie" E. Featherstone, 25,  of Terre Haute ---  murder, robbery and burglary. Incarcerated in the Vigo County Jail Oct. 25 at 3:33 a.m. She is the niece of Don Featherstone and girlfriend of Collins.

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