We just recently talked about 21-year-old Matthew Milby. He was recently ruled competent to stand trial for exchanging gunfire with the school’s resource officer at Dixon High School in Illinois in 2018.
Earlier this year, his father Matthew Milby Sr. was arrested for soliciting the murders of two people. Milby was already in jail on separate drug charges when he promised someone $5000 and a motorcycle if they kill his estranged wife and one other person. The person Milby Sr. tried to hire went to the police instead.
Last week, Milby Sr. pleaded guilty to attempted solicitation to commit murder. Under the terms of the plea deal, Milby Sr. was sentenced to six years in prison. He was also sentenced to four years after also pleading guilty to possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine. The sentences will run consecutively with Milby Sr. given 544 days time served on the drug charges.
It’s no wonder that Milby Jr.’s mother illegally kept a gun in the home. Unfortunately, that led to her son taking her gun to Dixon High. This makes me wonder if Milby Jr. was trying to commit suicide by cop and the school’s resource officer was the quickest way of finding one. That’s not to excuse Milby Jr. of his actions. He opened fire during a graduation practice which could have led to a lot more casualties other than Milby himself.
When you live in a household like this with violent turmoil, you can feel like there’s no one to reach out to. However, violence against yourself or others is never a viable solution. It only perpetuates the circle of violence.
In a better world, there would be more easily accessible resources afforded to children from troubled homes.
Real Crime with Trench Reynolds 