On December 18, 2024, a tragic incident occurred in Mahomet, Illinois, resulting in the deaths of three family members: 26-year-old Sara Mason, her mother Janis Mason, 61, and her brother Caleb Mason, 23. The Mahomet Police Department responded to reports of a shooting at approximately 9:40 p.m. in the 1100 block of Riverside Court, where they discovered the victims with life-threatening gunshot wounds.
Sara was pronounced dead at the scene, while Janis and Caleb were transported to Carle Hospital, where they later succumbed to their injuries.
The suspect in this triple homicide was identified as 24-year-old John R. Lyons of Westchester, Illinois. Later that evening, around 11:38 p.m., Berwyn Police officers responded to reports of an armed individual in the 1800 block of Home Avenue in Berwyn, a suburb of Chicago. Upon arrival, Lyons fled on foot, forcibly entered a residence on Wenonah Avenue, and fatally shot two dogs. When officers confronted him, Lyons fired at them, prompting the officers to return fire, resulting in his death. No officers were injured during the confrontation.
The motive behind the killings remains under investigation. Court records indicate that Lyons had been involved in a civil dispute with Caleb Mason prior to the incident, suggesting a possible connection. The Illinois State Police Public Integrity Task Force is overseeing the investigation into the officer-involved shooting in Berwyn, while local authorities in Mahomet continue to investigate the homicides.
Sara Mason was a 2016 graduate of Mahomet-Seymour High School and earned a bachelor's degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Studies from the University of Illinois in 2020. She was employed as a researcher for the Illinois Natural History Survey, where she cataloged various species of bugs, plants, and fish. Sara was known for her passion for living creatures, her artistic talents, and her caring nature. Her untimely death, along with that of her mother and brother, has left the Mahomet community in mourning.
