James Skinner, 56, was found dead in his Brownstown, Illinois home on September 17, 2017. His son, Ryan Skinner, initially contacted authorities and suggested the possibility of suicide, but investigators determined Jim had suffered fatal blunt force trauma to the head. A bloodied sledgehammer, identified as the murder weapon, was recovered in the front yard.

Investigators focused on 71-year-old David Leroy Bright of Mulberry Grove. Phone records showed Bright called Skinner 12 times on the morning of the killing, witnesses placed a white pickup matching Bright’s near Skinner’s home, and Bright’s van reportedly contained blood-stained clothing that tested positive for Skinner’s blood. Cell-phone analysis also placed Bright’s phone near the scene during the relevant timeframe.

Bright was charged in January 2018 with two counts of first-degree murder; his trial began in September 2020 and the jury returned guilty verdicts on both counts after about four hours of deliberation. In November 2020 Bright was sentenced to 30 years in prison for Skinner’s murder.

If anyone knew Jim Skinner or saw the white pickup in Brownstown on September 17, 2017, please share what you know.