Southern Illinois judge’s wife charged in his shooting death, police say

The wife of an Illinois circuit court judge has been charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of her husband, Illinois State Police said Thursday.

Megan S. Valentine, 44, of Albion, faces the murder charge along with aggravated battery with a firearm, aggravated discharge of a firearm and aggravated domestic battery in connection with the death of Illinois Second Judicial Circuit Court Judge Michael J. Valentine, according to a news release from Illinois State Police.

Edwards County Sheriff's Office responded to a residence in the 1100 block of County Road 600 in Albion on Tuesday afternoon and a deputy observed the body of Michael Valentine laying outside the residence. Megan Valentine was taken into custody and is being held in the White County Jail.

The Illinois State's Attorney Appellate Prosecutor's Office filed the charges Thursday.