A 43-year-old Mt. Vernon woman has been charged in Jefferson County Court with one count of Aiding a Fugitive for her role in the September 6th murder of 19-year-old Kyle Johnson of Olney.
Bond for Misty D. Whipple was set at $30,000 during her first court appearance and the public defender appointed to represent her. She was taken into custody by Mt. Vernon Police on Thursday.
The charge accuses Whipple of aiding or assisting 18-year-old Rick Meador of Olney in fleeing from a warrant for his arrest by renting a van which was used to transport Meador to Florida with an intent to prevent Meador’s apprehension.
Meador was later arrested in Florida on a warrant charging first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. He is now being held in the Richland County Jail at Olney. A 16-year-old female Olney juvenile arrested with him has also been charged with first-degree murder by accountability and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and is being held in the Franklin County Juvenile Detention Center. 33-year-old Tara Haws of Olney and 32-year-old Dale Boatman, Junior of Olney were later arrested for first-degree murder by accountability and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. Both remain in the Richland County Jail at Olney.
Johnson was found with multiple gunshot wounds at North Walnut and East Laurel Street in Olney and later died from his injuries at an area hospital.
The Illinois Department of Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation. They are being assisted by the Olney Police Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Mount Vernon Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, ISP District 12 and 13 Patrol, and the United States Marshals in this investigation.
