Illinois State Police cold case investigation leads to arrest of Crawford County man for murder

Friday, July 24, 2026 at 1:05 PM

By Staff report

Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Criminal Investigation Zone 8 arrested 46-year-old Matthew V. Miller of Flat Rock, IL for First Degree Murder following an extensive investigation into a 12-year-old cold case shooting death in Crawford County.

On August 21, 2014, the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office requested ISP’s assistance with a death investigation at a rural residence near 3900 N. Highway 1 in Flat Rock. The victim, 74-year-old Norman England from Freelandville, IN was found deceased inside his relative’s home, suffering from a gunshot wound.

In 2020, the Crawford County State’s Attorney’s Office referred the murder case to the Office of the State’s Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor (ILSAAP) for review. ISP and ILSAAP continued to actively pursue the cold case, determined to seek justice for the England Family.

After a thorough investigation, the case was presented to ILSAAP Special Prosecutor David W. Rands and on July 15, 2026, three counts of First Degree Murder were filed. On July 24, 2026, ISP took Miller into custody and transported him to the Crawford County Jail awaiting his first court appearance for the charges of First Degree Murder. No additional information is being released at this time.