Danville Police say they have arrested a man on first-degree murder charges in the disappearance of a woman one week ago. Public Safety Director Larry Thomason says 26-year-old Ocheil D. Keys has been formally charged with six counts of first-degree murder and one of concealing a homicidal death. The charges stem from the disappearance of 50-year-old Barbara Rose.
Police say Rose’s body has not been recovered. If she is the victim of a homicide it would be Danville’s tenth murder so far this year. Coroner Jane McFadden says her office has handled eleven homicides this year. The 11th was an earlier death in Georgetown.
Public Safety Director Thomason says the search for Rose included a search warrant that was issued for the home where she lived in the 1100 block of Cleveland Street. ‘’Sufficient evidence has been collected that prompted detectives to seek charges against 26-year-old Ocheil D. Keys who shared the home with Ms. Rose,’’ added Thomason.
Although Rose’s body has not been found, detectives have worked closely with the Danville Police Crime Scene Unit and a Crime Scene Unit from the Illinois State Police. ‘’The detective section is continuing an exhaustive investigation,’’ he added.
At the time of Keys arrest he was out on bond awaiting trial for an unrelated case from September 2016 where he is charged with Aggravated Battery to a Child and Unlawful Use of a Weapon by a Felon. Keys bond on his new charges was set at $5-million dollars.
Director Thomason adds anyone who has information that might help in this investigation is asked to call Danville Police at 431-2250. Or you can call Vermilion County Crime Stoppers at 446-TIPS.
