A man from Illinois is accused of shooting and killing his pregnant girlfriend days before she was supposed to give birth and then trying to cover it up by setting her house on fire.
Ogle County State’s Attorney Mike Rock announced on Wednesday that Matthew Plote, 34, faces murder and other charges in connection with Melissa Lamesch’s death in 2020. Lamesch was 27 years old.
She passed away just two days before her due date.Officials initially assumed that the house fire had caused her death by asphyxiation.
Yet, presently, they charge that what befell her and her unborn child was significantly more vile.According to WTVO, they believe Plote killed the soon-to-be mother by strangling her before setting her home on fire with her inside.
Karl Lamesch, Melissa Lamesch’s brother, told the station, “I just had this gut-wrenching feeling that something was wrong and I get this call from my dad.”He asks, “Have you seen or heard from Melissa?”I told him, “No, I’ve been at work all day,” and he said, “The house is on fire and no one has heard from her or seen her.” Right then, I knew she was gone and couldn’t feel her. It was just something in my gut.”
He went on to say that although the charges are welcome, they won’t bring Melissa back.
Plote is facing three counts of first-degree murder, one count of premeditated first-degree murder, three counts of intentional homicide of an unborn child, residential arson, aggravated domestic battery, and concealment of a homicidal death as charges against him.Wednesday saw his arrest.
Plote says that he volunteers for the Malta Fire Department on his Facebook page.
Despite being on leave to prepare for childbirth, Melissa was an EMT.
Her brother stated to WTVO, “She did so much good and helped COVID patients and I’m sure saved a lot of lives, and it’s sad to think she doesn’t have one now.”
The siblings had been putting together a nursery for their hoped-for son;Plote was said to be the father of the unborn child.
“We ended up communicating via Skype, and I assisted her in arranging the nursery pictures in her room. She asked, “Where do they go?”“Please assist me in determining where they go,” Karl told WTVO.
Plote may or may not have an attorney.He is behind on a bond worth $10 million.
Karl is thinking back to the “contagious smiles” of her sister.
During an interview with WTVO, he stated, “I want people to remember her for the happy person she is, the good person she is, and to have those memories and cherish them.”
