One of two suspects has pleaded guilty after a 42-year-old man was robbed, fatally shot and then had his body dumped in a bathtub at an apartment in Antioch.
Johnathan N. Skroko, 27, of South Elgin, and Hailey D. Miller, 30, of Antioch, were charged in September 2022 with first-degree murder.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Steve Scheller said at the time that Robbie Dickerson, 42, of Racine, Wisconsin, went to Miller’s home in the 1000 block of Main Street in Antioch around 11 p.m. on September 5, 2022.
Dickerson went to the residence to engage in a drug transaction and was with his girlfriend, Scheller said.
Miller convinced Dickerson to come into her residence.
Miller told investigators that Skroko had planned to hold Dickerson at gunpoint and steal his drugs, Scheller said.
Skroko allegedly hid in another room when Dickerson arrived and came out with a shotgun.
Scheller said that Skroko demanded Dickerson give him the drugs but Dickerson grabbed Miller and tried to hide behind her.
Miller was able to break away and Skroko allegedly shot Dickerson in the chest.
Skroko handed Miller a pistol and told her that he wanted her to “finish off” the victim, Scheller said.
Miller refused and Skroko fired a second shot into Dickerson, Scheller said. Skroko allegedly dragged the body into the bathtub.
Dickerson’s girlfriend, who was outside, heard the shots fired.
Skroko and Miller went outside and Miller tried to convince the victim’s girlfriend to come inside the apartment, Scheller said.
The woman refused and Skroko allegedly pulled a pistol and told the woman to leave the area.
Skroko and Miller allegedly put the guns used in the murder into Miller’s car and they drove off to Wisconsin to Miller’s father’s home before later driving to Skroko’s residence in South Elgin.
Miller took the Ring doorbell camera off her residence before they fled the Antioch residence, Scheller said.
The Antioch Police Department found Dickerson deceased in a bathtub with bleach poured over his body after officers responded to the home.
An autopsy showed Dickerson died from a gunshot wound to his chest.
Investigators located Skroko and Miller two days later at a hotel near Route 41 and Grand Avenue in Gurnee, Lake County Major Crime Task Force Spokesman Christopher Covelli said at the time.
Both were taken into custody without incident.
A gun, ammunition and clothing with blood stains were recovered from the hotel room, Scheller said.
In total, investigators recovered five guns, including some that had been dumped in Busse Woods off Higgins Road near Schaumburg.
One of the firearms was a shotgun which had a red substance consistent with blood.
Skroko was ordered held on a $10 million bond and Miller was held on a $3 million bond.
Court records show Miller pleaded guilty on Tuesday to one count of armed robbery with a firearm, a Class X felony, in exchange for prosecutors dismissing her murder charges.
The agreement was a blind plea deal, meaning Miller’s sentence was not agreed upon and a judge will sentence her to six to 25 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
The state’s attorney’s office said that Miller will be required to provide “honest testimony” during the trial for her co-defendant, Skroko, as part of her plea deal.
Miller will be sentenced after Skroko’s trial is concluded. The trial is scheduled for June 2.