Parts of a rubber glove or gloves were found on the bed and on the bedroom floor of an Edwardsville couple who were stabbed to death in March, according to Madison County prosecutors.
Madison County Assistant State’s Attorney Jacob Harlow mentions the glove pieces in a new filing in the case against Zachary Capers of Collinsville. Capers, 23, is charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of Michael and Lois Ladd.
The motion also states that “blood-like staining” was found on a boot of Capers when police inspected his clothing at the Madison County Jail.
Capers is accused of fatally stabbing the Ladds on March 17 at their home on the outskirts of Edwardsville. Lois Ladd, 68, was a chiropractor, and her husband, Michael Ladd, 79, was a contractor. Their bodies were discovered on the following Monday morning, after Lois Ladd failed to report to work.
Investigators and prosecutors haven’t publicly offered a motive for the killings.
Madison County Public Defender John Rekowski, whose office is representing Capers, has said he intends to seek a psychiatric evaluation for Capers. In 2017, Collinsville Police responded to a “mental subject” call and took Capers to a Granite City hospital that has a psychiatric unit. During the past two years, police across Madison County have had dealings with Capers, some of which involved odd behavior, such as walking in traffic and yelling at cars.
Portions of a rubber glove or gloves could be significant pieces of evidence. They could possibly be used to argue that the crimes were premeditated, not the actions of someone with a diminished mental capacity.
According to Harlow’s filing, the portions of rubber glove were found in the bed of the master bedroom of the Ladds’ home, on the floor of the master bedroom, and at a second location on the floor of the master bedroom, next to Michael Ladd’s right knee.
Harlow’s filing involves the testing procedure for the glove material and the substance on the boot. It asks that forensic investigators be allowed to use up the entirety of the evidence during testing, rather than saving some for additional testing. The motion states that Illinois State Police forensic investigators have informed prosecutors “that the samples recovered from the swabs are of such a small amount, that proper DNA testing requires that the entire samples be consumed during the testing procedure.”