Man, 71, charged with killing wife and son in Glenwood home

A Glenwood man accused of killing his wife and son last week in their south suburban home has been charged with murder.

Irven Williams, 71, faces two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of 33-year-old Irven S. Williams and 68-year-old Delphenia Williams, according to Glenwood police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Police say the older Williams called police about 3 p.m. Aug. 10 and said he had killed his wife and son in the family’s home in the 800 block of East 194th Street, according to Glenwood police.

“He called and said he was inside the garage and had killed his wife and son,” Police Chief Demetrius Cook said. “He didn’t give a reason.”

When officers arrived at the single-family home, they found Irven S. Williams and Delphenia Williams dead on the second floor, authorities said. Autopsies the next day found both died of blunt force injuries to their heads in an assault. Their deaths were ruled homicides.

Before officers found the victims, they entered the home through the garage door, which was cracked open, Chief Cook said. They discovered Irven Williams hanging out of a car inside the garage, unconscious and suffering from what appeared to be self-inflicted cut wounds.

He was taken to St. James Health in Chicago Heights, Cook said.

Cook said police have been called to the home in the past, but did not say what for.

“We haven’t had a homicide the whole time I’ve been here,” Cook said of the seven years he’s been police chief. “It’s a tragic incident. It’s a quiet town.”

Irven Williams has been ordered held without bond, according to Cook County sheriff’s office records. It was unclear if he was still hospitalized Thursday night.

Illinois State Police and the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force were assisting Glenwood police with the investigation.