Chicago Man Charged With Murder of New Lenox Township Resident
Police say Rodney Julun, of Chicago, beat and robbed township resident Dwight Jones, who worked at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
Following a family party downtown on June 10, murder victim Dwight Jones invited a Chicago man to his south suburban home for a drink, but police said the man was only interested in a potential robbery.
Charges were filed Tuesday against Rodney A. Julun, 22, of Chicago, in connection with the murder of Jones, who was found dead in his home on the 13000 block of 184th Place in New Lenox Township. Jones, 59, was found four days after his family last saw him, bludgeoned in the head with a lamp and decomposed beyond recognition.
Julun is charged with three counts of first-degree murder, one count of home invasion, three counts of residential burglary, one count of robbery and one count of possession of a stolen motor vehicle. His bail was set today at $5 million.
Sheriff’s Department spokesman Ken Kaupas said Jones, who was an intake specialist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, left a family event Friday evening and struck up a conversation with Julun on the South Side of Chicago. Jones invited Julun to his home in New Lenox Township, and the two traveled together in Jones’ car. Kaupas said the two never had any previous contact.
“We believe Julun saw an opportunity to commit a robbery,” Kaupas said.
Sheriff’s investigators conducted numerous interviews that led them to Julun, who was picked up in Chicago late last week and questioned. He was subsequently charged with a probation violation and detained at the Will County Jail while the investigation unfolded. Kaupas said that multiple sources told police they saw Julun driving in Jones’ stolen VW Jetta, which was found abandoned in Harvey last week.
Investigators located two other people who police say had knowledge of the homicide: John H. White, 20, and David D. Reed, 23, both of Chicago. Kaupas said that White and Reed, while questioned by police, accused Julun of committing the murder.
Kaupas said Julun then contacted Reed and White, and over the following two days they proceeded to steal numerous items, including Jones’ car, electronics, cash and jewelry.
“The home was ransacked,” Kaupas said. “We continued to recover more items even as of today, items pawned by these three individuals.”
Both White and Reed were charged with residential burglary and bail for each was set at $250,000. Sheriff's investigators do not believe White or Reed participated in the killing, but they could face additional charges of concealing a homicidal death.
Jones’ family had not heard from him since seeing him that Friday night, June 10, and after he missed a family party on June 14 they went to his home to investigate. They immediately contacted police after finding the patio door unlocked and a peculiar odor coming from the house. According to Jones’ cousin, Gail Page, the family buried him last Thursday.
“Dwight enjoyed family, which is why the family knew something was wrong when he did not show up for a family event,” Page said in an email. “He had no children of his own, but he helped raise a lot of children and was godfather to several. Dwight was a son, a brother, an uncle, a nephew, a cousin, a brother, a friend and so much more. He was diligent in taking care of his mother.”
Co-workers from Northwestern Memorial Hospital also shared memories in the comments of a previous article.
“Dwight greeted and received his patients and their families with dignity, respect and a warm smile just as he did with his coworkers,” former co-worker Donna Hawkins said. “I worked with him for 11 years and I will miss him dearly.”
passion jones-wade
8:26 am on Wednesday, June 29, 2011
This has got 2 b 1 of the hardest things we had 2 deal with as a family.....
Susan Deneen
9:20 am on Wednesday, June 29, 2011
My heart goes out to the Jones family. May God give you strength and peace during this difficult time.
Special K
9:26 am on Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Prayers of love to the Jones family. What a horrible crime. I hope the family finds some kind of peace that these, LOSERs have been caught. I really wish they'd hang them, or use a bullet rather than put them thru a costly court system.
It sounds like Dwight was a very loving, giving person. Shame these thugs preyed on him. Kinda makes you think twice on lending a helping hand to a stranger. And alot of people do need a hand every once in awhile.
peace.
Cynthia121707
5:06 pm on Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Something doesn't sound right about this I know Rodney personally and know he wouldn't do something like this just because he's not cold hearted. He was invited there and Something had to of happen to make him do such a thing and since no one knows exactly what happened then they shouldnt have anything to say my prayers goes out to all families that are connected with this situation and especially stretch keep yur head up.
Missy
12:15 am on Thursday, June 30, 2011
Seriously????? What on EARTH could have been done to MAKE a person do something like that?? And after the poor man was dead I suppose something MADE him and his buddies rob the man's home and steal his car right? Get a clue!
Marie Webb
11:15 am on Thursday, June 30, 2011
@Cynthia...are you sure you knew Rodney? We knew it would not take long before
someone came forward claiming what a good person he was. Do you know any of
the details? Read the newspaper accounts. He was beaten to death. Gasoline was poured over his body. His car was stolen. He made repeat trips back to the house over several days as Dwight lay dead and decomposing in his bed to steal. If this is not evidence of a cold hearted person, then I don't know what is. How do we know that this Rodney you know so well has not done this before? Rest assured our heads are up and we are prayed up
Missy Strong
8:16 pm on Wednesday, July 6, 2011
these are only newspaper accounts and what police think. people shouldn't judge until the final verdict. rodney just had a newborn son with his fiance less than a month ago. he was attending college. he was in between jobs but rarely drank alcohol and has never used hard drugs not once in his life. something went wrong here. this wasn't his personality. i pray for peace for the jones family.
Missy
12:40 am on Thursday, July 7, 2011
Only newspaper accounts huh? Well what about the people who saw dear Rodney driving in the victim's car? Why are his two buddies admitting that Rodney killed him? And by the way...there can be no "final verdict" unless people actually judge him first. All of the evidence that led the police to arrest him will probably wind up convicting him. And never used "hard " drugs once in his life? Unless you were with him every second of his life you can't say that for sure...and even if he used no drugs at all...what does that have to do with anything? The evidence against him is pretty damning.
Marie Webb
11:48 am on Friday, July 8, 2011
Lindsey, something did go wrong here. Dwight Jones was brutally murdered in his own home. It would not surprise me if we found out Rodney Julun has done something almost as reprehensible as this before, but was never caught. I believe the Jones family will have peace when Rodney is convicted along with his cohorts who found nothing wrong with returning to a home containing a dead body to loot it. They were charged so far only with burgulary. They should also be charged with concealing a homicide.
Mo
12:16 am on Saturday, July 9, 2011
Rodney was already on probation for robbery, AND had torched that place. So that is obviosly his mo. I am not saying how he got to Dwights house was right, but no one has the right to take another persons life at all. Dwight would not hurt a fly. Cold hearted, yes he is. Even with a baby on the way get a job and take care of responsibilities. Taking peoples stuff they worked hard for, the nerve!! Jail will be nice for him.
Marie Webb
9:34 am on Saturday, July 9, 2011
@ Mo....the assumption is that Rodney told the truth about how he got to Dwight's house. Anyone who knew Dwight also knew he was not in the habit of taking strangers to his home; and he chastized people he knew that brought strangers to his home without informing him first. I hope the investigators dig a little deeper into his story of how he got out to New Lenox. I mean, it's not like public transportation stopped right at the door. As far as I am concerned, jail is too good for him
Manuel Mabins
3:19 pm on Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Pray and i send prayers to both parties in this sad situation.
Raydeeohh
3:31 pm on Tuesday, December 27, 2011
We all have assumptions and to assume Rodney was lying or telling the truth, we don't know or to assume Dwight invited him our didn't, we'll never know. What w do know is Rodney killed Dwight, but we may never know why. W do know that GOD has the answer n knows exactly what has happened. We know life is short n precious. We must live life a if it were our last day n live it to the fullest. Let us not pass judgment on anyone, lets let the courts, law n GOD do what they do best. My prayers go out to all connected.
Missy
3:52 pm on Tuesday, December 27, 2011
My prayers go out to the poor murder victim and his family. Rodney doesn't deserve any as far as I'm concerned. He made a choice and there are now consequences to be paid.
cingularmannnnnnn@yahoo.com
9:40 am on Saturday, May 12, 2012
this is why i vote republican
cingularmannnnnnn@yahoo.com
9:43 am on Saturday, May 12, 2012
this is obamas and the democrates fault. the welfare system has ruined this country. black mama has kid,starts getting welfare(dad nowhere to be found) kids turns 18. mom kicks kid out.kid joins gang(dad nowhere to be found) mama has another 2-3 more welfare babies,and over and,and over.
Thom Leonard
8:15 pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
First off, you racist pos, welfare as we know it was created as part of the New Deal under President Roosevelt. Obama wasn't even alive yet. Second, gang involvement begins in the pre-teen years, not when they turn 18. Third, white America created the toxic conditions that black americans are forced to live in. After enslaving, then segregating them, all the while committing unspeakable acts of brutality against them, where they just supposed to move into our neighborhoods and into our workplaces? Hell no, because bigots like you would burn crosses in their front yards and lynch them in the town square. Thin about your twisted ideas before you let them out of your mouth or onto a computer screen. You need to do some serious soul-searching (if you posess one) and think about who you hurt with your comments. (Here is a hint: it is not "black mama" or her "welfare babies")
cingularmannnnnnn@yahoo.com
9:48 am on Saturday, May 12, 2012
I think this jones fellow was a little queer,and want to get busy with the killer(julun) and things went bad.
dagreatgazoo
9:19 am on Friday, June 22, 2012
No disrepect to the family but I think that is what may have happened. You just don't pick up a dude you never knew and bring him all the way to your home to drink for no reason. Something does not add up. Regardless of Mr. Jones sexuality that does not give the other guy the excuse to take his life.
cingularmannnnnnn@yahoo.com
10:29 am on Thursday, June 7, 2012
thom leanard is on welfare,section8,link,and wic. he tell the state he's black ,but we know better. leach !!!!!!
cingularmannnnnnn@yahoo.com
10:31 am on Thursday, June 7, 2012
thom leonard sorry,but he's still a welfare leach.
D'andre Tatum
1:03 am on Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Dwight was smart, just trusted the wrong person, to befriend.