Rock Falls man charged with murder in fatal Valentine’s Day stabbing

MORRISON — A first-degree murder charge has been filed against a Rock Falls man accused of stabbing another Rock Falls man to death Friday.

Kyle M. Cooper, 36, of Rock Falls is being held in the Whiteside County Jail in Morrison on that charge as well as two counts of aggravated battery in connection with the death of Daniel J. Gordon, 27, also of Rock Falls. Whiteside County State’s Attorney Colleen Buckwalter filed the three charges Tuesday in Whiteside County Circuit Court.

Rock Falls police were dispatched at 1:50 a.m. Friday for a reported stabbing in the 600 block of West 20th Street in Rock Falls, according to a news release issued Friday. When officers arrived, they found Gordon suffering from severe injuries. He was taken to CGH Medical Center and died Friday as a result of his injuries.

Court documents filed Tuesday indicate Gordon died as the result of being stabbed multiple times in the abdomen.

Cooper was taken into custody Friday and held on an aggravated battery charge, according to police. The charges were upgraded Monday to include the murder and a second count of aggravated battery,

Rock Falls police are being assisted by the Sterling Police Department, the Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office, the Illinois State Police, state police Crime Scene Services and the Illinois State Police Department of Criminal Investigation.