Man, 65, Stabbed To Death At Morris Motel: Coroner

MORRIS, IL — A 65-year-old man was killed in his room at a motel in Morris on Monday afternoon, and Morris police say a 28-year-old man has been charged in the slaying.

On Tuesday morning, Grundy County Coroner John Callahan identified the victim as David M. Fonza, who was a resident of the Park Motel. Callahan said Fonza had suffered multiple stab wounds.

Police responded to the Park Motel on Division Street for a report of an unresponsive person just before 3:30 p.m. Officers found Fonza dead in his room, with obvious signs of trauma. Police began investigating the death as a homicide, with assistance from the Grundy County Coroner's Office and Illinois State Police crime scene investigators.

Based on information gathered at the scene and from witness statements, investigators quickly identified the suspect as 28-year-old Cody Atkinson, according to a news release from the Morris Police Department.

Atkinson was also a resident of the Park Motel, according to police, who said there was no known relationship between the two men.

Atkinson was arrested on a charge of murder and is in custody at the Grundy County jail.

Police said additional details will be released as they become available.

According to news reports, Atkinson was charged with attempted murder last December, after police say he shot a crossbow at a relative during an argument at a home on Liberty Street on Nov. 20, 2023. That charge was dropped in May 2024, according to court records, and he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor aggravated assault in exchange for 162 days in jail and 24 months' probation. He received credit for 162 days already served in jail.