Brothers in custody after mother, sister found buried in Illinois backyard

WARNING: This story contains details that may be disturbing to some readers. Discretion is advised.

An Illinois man suspected of burying the bodies of his mother and sister in his backyard has been arrested on felony charges, officials announced Thursday.

Michael Lelko, 45, is facing two felony counts of concealment of a death, reports The Associated Press.

According to Lyons police Chief Thomas Herion, Michael is not charged in the deaths of his mom, 79-year-old Jean Lelko, and 44-year-old Jennifer Lelko, as the medical examiner can’t pinpoint an exact cause of death for either woman.

NBC News reports that Michael’s brother, John Lelko, 41, has also been arrested and may face charges in the coming days, although those charges have not yet been revealed.

Police were originally called to the home in Lyons Township – a suburb of Chicago – in August of 2021 after a well-being check was requested. That’s when the bodies were found.

Both bodies had been buried in plastic tubs that had been sealed with duct tape.

Herion said Michael told police that his mother had died in 2015 after his sister pushed her down the stairs and that he buried his sister in the yard in 2019 after she became ill and died.

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He said Michael said the sister had died of COVID-19, though Herion said he didn’t believe COVID-19 existed in 2019, and Illinois officials have said they believe the first COVID-19 death in Illinois was in March 2020.

“When I interviewed Michael, he admitted that he buried his mother and his sister in the yard,” Herion said. “John did not give any statements pertaining to whether he participated in that.”

“They were duct-taped completely, wrapped in blankets, placed inside, bent over, folded in half and buried in the yard,” Herion told ABC News in Chicago.

Herion also said both bodies were too decomposed to determine a cause of death. Investigators believe the brothers never reported the deaths so they could continue to collect their mother’s social security checks.

The charges mark the final chapter in the bizarre story that began with a check of the house after it was determined there was no running water. Herion said there were no operable toilets at the home, and several bags of urine and feces were found inside.

Herion said items such as Star Wars toys were stacked up to the ceiling at the time the bodies were found, and the home was so cluttered that the brothers climbed in and out through windows.

It could not be immediately determined if Michael had retained an attorney.

– with files from The Associated Press