Julie Konkol, a 39-year-old woman, was found dead on October 23, 1997, behind an abandoned truck stop in Russell, Illinois. Her body was discovered by a construction worker at the site, and an autopsy later confirmed that she had been strangled to death. At the time of her death, Konkol had been living in a van and working at various truck stops, washing and waxing semi-trucks. She had recently moved from Greendale, Wisconsin, and was known to frequent truck stops along U.S.
Route 41.
The investigation into Konkol's murder remained unsolved for over two decades until advancements in DNA technology led authorities to a breakthrough. In 2006, DNA evidence from her case was matched to a 1996 homicide in Wood County, Ohio. Further analysis in 2012 linked the same suspect's DNA to a 1992 homicide in Mahoning County, Ohio. In 2018, investigators conducted familial DNA testing, which ultimately led them to Samuel William Legg III, a former truck driver. Legg was found to be a one-in-one-trillion match for the DNA recovered from Konkol's case.
Legg, who was living in Chandler, Arizona, at the time of his arrest, had previously been charged in a separate 1997 sexual assault case in Ohio. He was extradited to Ohio to face those charges before being linked to Konkol's murder. In July 2020, authorities formally charged Legg with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with Konkol's death. His bail was set at $3 million, and he was expected to be extradited to Illinois to face trial.
The case was investigated by multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Lake County Sheriff's Office, the FBI's Chicago Field Office, and various Ohio authorities. Officials expressed relief that justice was finally being served for Konkol and her family, emphasizing their commitment to solving cold cases and ensuring that victims receive the justice they deserve.
