A 35-year-old woman has been arrested and is facing two counts of first-degree murder after her husband, Ghanaian professor Kofi Akamani, 48, died from gunshot wounds in Illinois, United States.
According to a report by Heartland News, Betty Akamani was arrested following a shooting at a residence in Jackson County on Saturday, September 19, 2026.
Jackson County State’s Attorney Marsha Cascio-Hale said Betty Akamani is scheduled to appear in court on Monday, September 21, 2026, where she is expected to be formally charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
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The shooting occurred at about 5 p.m. at a home on Anthony Drive, in an area between Murphysboro and Carbondale.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office say deputies responded to a report of a shooting in progress.
Kofi Akamani was transported to Memorial Hospital of Carbondale after being shot but later died from his injuries.
Cascio-Hale confirmed to Heartland News that Akamani was a forestry professor at Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIU).
Authorities have not disclosed what led to the shooting, and the circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation.
Akamani had been a professor of forest recreation and conservation social science at SIU since 2011 and was promoted to full professor in 2024.
He also served as director of the Agricultural Sciences doctoral programme and graduate studies in forestry.
Following news of his death, Jeff Harmon, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer at SIU, expressed condolences to Akamani’s family, friends, colleagues and students.
“It is with a heavy heart that we have learned of the tragic passing of one of our faculty members, Dr Kofi Akamani. Our deepest condolences go out to his family, friends, colleagues, and students during this difficult time,” he said.
Officials have said no further information will be released at this time as investigations continue.
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