Claremont, Illinois

From (IN) Terre Haute’s WTHItv.com of August 23, 2005

Home Invasion

Violence calls on a small Wabash Valley town.

One person is dead and 2 others are seriously injured following a home invasion in a small town in Richland County, Illinois.

Early Tuesday morning authorities were called to the community of Claremont just east of Olney.

There they found a bloody scene in a quiet community.

Violence paid a wake-up call to the sleepy town of Claremont, Illinois.

Investigators worked the scene that claimed the life of 20-year-old Joshua Bennett, a soldier on leave from out of town, who was visiting his family.

"I believe he was in the military and he was visiting his mother at the residence," said Richland County Coroner Randy Kistler.

Bennett was pronounced dead at the scene.

He was stabbed to death.

"there were 2 men that broke into the house," said Kistler, "and I'm not sure what happened after that."

Neighbors in the close community wouldn't go on camera about what happened, but the do say they were shocked and surprised because what happened in the house was extremely violent.

Not only was Bennett killed, but his mother was also stabbed.

A third person in the house got a gun and shot one of the attackers.

The other fled the scene, but was later captured and taken to the Richland County Jail.