From the State’s Attorney:

JOHN MAKI PLEADS GUILTY TO FIRST DEGREE MURDER

Patrick D. Kenneally, McHenry County State’s Attorney, announces that on April 24, 2024, John Maki (52) of Richmond, Illinois, entered a negotiated plea of Guilty to one count of First-Degree Murder in exchange for a prison sentence of twenty-six years and six months in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

His prison sentence will be served in the Illinois Department of Corrections and under Truth and Sentencing guidelines will be served at 100% of the time imposed. 

On May 15, 2019, at 7:15 p.m., police responded to an emergency 911 call of a mentally ill subject with a body on the floor of a home at 11105 Serenity Path, Richmond, McHenry County, Illinois.

Police made entry into the home and found Dylan Sanchez (19) shot to death under a blanket on the floor. 

Maki would be identified as the second subject in the home.

The police investigation would reveal that Maki killed Dylan Sanchez and that those acts were not justifiable.

The parties were acquaintances and the victim had recently been invited to live with the defendant in his home where the victim was killed.

The forensic evidence implicating the defendant would include DNA analysis.

Upon initially encountering Maki on the scene of the homicide, he was transported by ambulance to Northwestern McHenry hospital to address apparent hallucinations and self-inflicted wounds to parts of his body.

Maki was treated, stabilized, and released within approximately three hours from arrival in the emergency room. Following the arrest, medical and forensic tests revealed the presence of cannabinoids in Maki’s system. 

Several cannabis smoking pipes were recovered on the homicide scene as well as Cannabis (Delta 9-Tetrahydrocannabinol) in plant form and in residue on the pipes recovered at the crime scene.

Maki had no prior criminal history.

Upon initially coming into the court system following his arrest, Maki was found unfit to stand trial.

Maki was deemed restored to fitness on October 14, 2022.

This case was investigated by the McHenry County Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant States Attorney Ashley A. Romito of the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office.