Dixon man pleads guilty in murder-for-hire plot

A Dixon, Illinois, man accused of trying to hire a hit man to kill his ex-wife and a man in July 2019 has pleaded guilty.

50 year old Matthew Milby Sr. pleaded guilty Thursday to attempted solicitation to commit murder, a Class 1 felony, in Lee County (Illinois) Circuit Court and was sentenced to six years in prison. He must serve two years of mandatory supervised release once he completes the prison sentence.

In exchange for his plea, prosecutors dismissed two counts of solicitation to commit murder. He was also sentenced to four years in prison in a separate case after pleading guilty to possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine. The sentence will run consecutively, or back-to-back, to the sentence in the solicitation case, a representative from the Lee County Circuit Clerk’s Office said Monday.

Milby will receive credit for 566 days already served in the Lee County Jail.

The Dixon Police Department say they began a criminal investigation in July 2019 after speaking to an individual who said Milby on different occasions asked for the individual’s assistance in carrying out the murders. At the time, Milby was in jail in two separate drug cases.

According to court documents, Milby offered someone $5,000 cash and a motorcycle to kill his then-estranged wife and a man. He was charged in February.

Milby is the father of 21 year old Mathew Milby Jr. who is accused of opening fire at Dixon High School in May 2018. On May 16, 2018, officers responded to Dixon High School for reports of an active shooter. Resource Officer Mark Dallas was assigned to the school when he confronted Milby Jr., who police say fired shots near the west gym. Milby Jr. then exited the school and ran, however, Dallas chased after him. The two then exchanged gunfire and Milby Jr. was shot and suffered non-life-threatening injuries, according to police.

Milby Jr. was found unfit to stand trial in March and in September he was found fit to stand trial. In January, he was found unfit a second time. Court records show he was found fit in November.

(Photo by KWQC/Dixon Police Dept.)


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