November hearing set for Stillman Valley man charged with killing ex-wife, 3-year-old son in 2016

OREGON – A Rockford attorney’s claims that he has been unable to meet with his jailed client as he prepares for a February murder trial appear to have been addressed.

Christopher DeRango, the attorney for Duane Meyer, 42, of Stillman Valley, raised the accessibility issues during an August hearing before Ogle County Judge John “Ben” Roe.

Meyer is accused of killing his ex-wife and their 3-year-old son in 2016 and has been in custody at the Ogle County Jail since his arrest Oct. 9, 2019. He is charged with four counts of first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated arson and one count of concealment of a homicidal death in connection with an Oct. 19, 2016, Byron house fire in which Meyer’s ex-wife, Margaret “Maggie” (Rosko) Meyer, 31, was found dead.

The couple’s 3-year-old son, Amos Meyer, who also was home at the time of the fire, later was pronounced dead at a Rockford hospital.

Maggie (Rosko) Meyer was a teacher at the Chana Education Center at the time of her death. She filed for divorce in 2014, and court records show the divorce was finalized in September 2016.

When arguing for Meyer’s release before his scheduled February 2025 trial, DeRango told Roe that Meyer should be released because he has no previous criminal record, was not a threat to the community, has no record of violent behavior and can’t adequately help with trial preparation because of limited visiting times at the jail.

DeRango said Meyer could be released on home confinement and wear a GPS monitor.

Prosecutors argued against Meyer’s pretrial release, claiming there was ample evidence pointing to his guilt, including autopsy reports and text messages that they said he sent as he planned to end Maggie’s life to “eliminate” the problem.

In previous hearings, DeRango and prosecutors have both said numerous cellphone records and data will be part of the evidence presented.

DeRango has argued that text messages sent by Meyer before the deaths were only part of a “contentious” divorce and not indicative of anything nefarious.

At the Aug. 1 hearing, DeRango also told Roe that he had been unable to meet with Meyer as needed because of limited visiting hours and days at the jail. DeRango said limits set by jail personnel had not allowed him sufficient time to meet with Meyer as they prepare for trial.

Roe denied the defense’s request for pretrial release, ruling that text messages prosecutors said Meyer sent to a girlfriend three days before the deaths indicated a presumption of guilt to hold Meyer in custody. Roe said one of the texts sent from Meyer said, “I owe her a trip 6 feet due south” while another said, “I’m just trying to flush her.”

However, Roe noted DeRango’s “serious concerns” about limited meeting times at the jail and instructed Ogle County State’s Attorney Mike Rock to find out what the policy is for defense attorneys’ requests regarding consultations with jailed clients.

On Thursday, Rock told Roe that he had met with Ogle County Sheriff Brian VanVickle regarding DeRango’s complaint. Rock said the sheriff was not aware of any accessibility issues with attorneys and their clients if jail personnel received a 24-hour notice of a requested visit.

Rock said the jail’s visitation rooms are used by Sinnissippi Centersa Inc. from 9 a.m. to noon Wednesdays and Fridays, but prisoners could be made available by video or phone during those times if given advance notice.

“I told attorney DeRango if there is any issue to let me know, and I will follow up,” Rock said.

“At this point, I am willing to take them at their word,” DeRango said. “But I am skeptical.”

“I understand,” replied Roe, asking both attorneys when they would like to hold the next pretrial hearing.

DeRango told Roe and Rock that he still intends to pursue a change-of-venue survey. Change-of-venue motions ask the judge to move the trial to a different location, citing reasons that the filing party believes would prevent a fair trial in the county in which the case was filed. Pretrial publicity often is listed as a reason for a change-of-venue motion.

A change-of-venue survey is one of the tools that can be used by attorneys before filing a motion for a change of venue.

“We are still pursuing that survey, so I would suggest a November date,” DeRango said.

Roe set the next status hearing for 3 p.m. Nov. 7. The entire month of February has been set for the trial.

Roe again denied DeRango’s request for Meyer to be released before his trial date, honoring the state’s motion to continue his detention.