10-year-old's death ruled homicide

MARION, Ill. -- A Williamson County coroner's jury has determined that a 10-year-old Carterville girl was fatally stabbed by her father, who died himself a short time later. The six jurors ruled Connor Fenton's death a homicide Friday.

When sheriff's deputies arrived at the Fenton's home around 5:15 a.m. on Aug. 3, they found the girl's body in the living room of the home she shared with her mother, Dana, who had called police from a neighbor's house, reporting an attack by her husband, Kevin.

Both Connor and Dana Fenton had been stabbed shortly after midnight, police said.

Dana Fenton was taken to Memorial Hospital of Carbondale later that morning, where she underwent surgery.

Kevin Fenton fled the scene in the family's vehicle. Officials have said he fatally cut himself while driving on Interstate 64. As Fenton bled to death, his car crossed the median eight miles from the Indiana state line and struck a tractor-trailer, whose driver was not seriously injured.