A 48-year-old Ghanaian professor at Southern Illinois University (SIU) Carbondale, Dr Kofi Akamani, has been shot dead in Illinois, United States, with his wife, Betty Akamani, arrested and charged in connection with his death.
According to authorities, deputies responded to a reported shooting at about 5 p.m. on Saturday, September 19, 2026, near Lake Road between Murphysboro and Carbondale in Jackson County. Akamani was transported to Memorial Hospital of Carbondale, where he was pronounced dead from injuries sustained in the shooting.
Local authorities have identified 35-year-old Betty Akamani as the accused. She was charged on September 21 with two counts of felony first-degree murder and one count of endangering the life or health of a child, according to local court and law-enforcement reports. She remains in custody, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for October 6. The allegations remain subject to the legal process.
The circumstances surrounding the shooting are still being investigated. Authorities have said the investigation is ongoing, while further details about what led to the incident have been limited.
Dr Akamani was a professor in SIU Carbondale’s Department of Forestry, where he taught forest recreation and conservation social science. He joined the university in 2011 and became a full professor in 2024. His research focused on natural-resource management and the resilience of rural communities facing environmental and economic changes.
His academic career began in Ghana, where he studied at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). He later earned an MPhil from the University of Oslo and a PhD in Natural Resources from the University of Idaho. His work also contributed to national and international environmental assessments.
Southern Illinois University has expressed condolences following the death of the professor, describing the incident as a tragic loss to his family, students, colleagues and the wider university community.
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