Evanston-Born Sheriff's Deputy Dies During Training In South Carolina

EVANSTON, IL — An Evanston-born deputy with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department in South Carolina died during an underwater training session last week, according to information released by the department.

Jillian Olson, 29, began her career as a Lexington County deputy in 2021. After more than a year as a patrol deputy, she transferred to a warrant deputy position. She was promoted to master deputy in the Warrant Division in 2025 and had been a member of the department’s dive team since 2024.

Olson was born March 29, 1997, in Evanston and was raised in Northbrook and Buffalo Grove, according to her obituary. The obituary states that she attended Western Illinois University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Law Enforcement and Justice Administration with minors in Political Science and Women’s Studies in 2019, and a Master of Science in College Student Personnel Services in 2021.

After graduation, Olson moved to South Carolina and made Lexington her home, according to the obituary. In a statement released by the sheriff’s department, Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said Olson left a mark on the agency.

“Our hearts are broken by the loss of a valuable member of the Sheriff’s Department,” Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said. “Jillian exemplified commitment and service. She faithfully carried out her duties and selflessly worked to make those around her better.”

The Lexington County Sheriff’s Foundation named Olson the outstanding judicial services deputy of the year at its annual awards banquet last spring, according to Koon. He said the recognition reflected work Olson took on beyond her regular assignments.

“The foundation recognized Jillian for showing exceptional initiative and leadership by, on her own time, developing reference guides and document templates for use by judicial services deputies,” Koon said. “The tools Jillian developed improved deputy training and operational workflow.”

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is leading the investigation into Olson’s death, with assistance from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. The Lexington County Coroner’s Office is also conducting an investigation to determine Olson’s cause and manner of death.