The 51/2 week trial included testimony from two former strippers whom Vaughn plied with cash and an FBI expert who translated 140 pages of runic writings that Vaughn, who had an interest in druidism, had scribbled in a notebook while in jail awaiting trial. Pacheco, a former Dr. Oz producer, has said Kimberlys family declined her requests for comment. Vaughn's family did . In 1991, she received her high school diploma from St. Charles West. (The McDonald case is probably also fresh in my mind because I recently listened to three part series on the case from The Prosecutors.). Kim was slumped so I tried to buckle her. In the video interview, he demonstrated raising his left arm between the gun and his head just as he noticed her pointing the gun at him. That was really off putting. We hear about inconsistencies, such as when the murder weapon was transported to the morgue, covered with cloth, and then washed. At one point in the intensive questioning, he crumples up a picture of his eight-year-old son, Blake, and throws it into the corner of the room. She said the results will be aired during the weekly podcasts 11th episode. There were chat messages recovered from his computer to a guy in Canada revealing he was contemplating strapping on a back pack and leaving civilization and his family to disappear into Alaskas Yukon. Nothing could be done. Steve Weiss, the Channahon police officer who found the four slain family members, telling him "my prayers will be with you.". Most of their commentary was so unnecessary. Beloved wife of Christopher Vaughn; beloved mother of Abigayle, Cassandra and Blake; beloved daughter of Del and Susan Phillips I came here for this!!! There is a swipe mark on the latch, which corresponds with the transfer stain on his wifes right thumb. 'Today I lost everything,' Vaughn says on the video, later referring to how tired he is. List used a revolver and a semi-automatic handgun to end the lives of his wife, Helen (46); his mother, Alma (84); and his children, Patricia (16), Frederick (13), and John Frederick (15). Kimberly, Christophers spouse, and their three kids were discovered dead inside the SUV, though. Cassandra "Sandi", 11, an animal lover who was trying to persuade her mom to let her start a dog-walking business, was killed next. The Hargon family were no strangers to tragedy; Michael's family father, Haywood Hargin, had been murdered in a robbery in 1994 at the family's grocery store. A few years before, Chris Vaughn had started Stone Bridge Security, a licensed private detective agency in Bellevue, WA. Her eyes later flashed in anger and she seemed to look at Christopher Vaughn as she spoke of "the betrayal by a man we welcomed into our lives and loved as family.". It was a lonely life for Kimberly. . Neighbors and the press began to speculate as to what happened, with many pointing the finger at Christopher Vaughn. The Will County board denied a completion budget and appointed a local attorney. Another showed the three children, who were settled under blankets and on pillows for the long, early-morning ride to Springfield, dead together in the backseat of the SUV. Here is a look at some of the evidence and motives law enforcement have explored during the course of their investigation. Her apartment was set on fire, and her body was burned beyond . Despite this chain of events, Chris's family believe he's innocent. Rozak said before imposing his sentence that he was "very frustrated" by the state Legislature's restrictions, an apparent reference to Illinois' decision last year to end the death penalty. The program is hosted by Lauren Bright Pacheco who examines the complicated . Caption: WICS. They released Blackie. Murder in Illinois: With Lauren Bright Pacheco. I can breathe again. . Not buying it. Prosecutors have charged Christopher Vaughn with shooting and killing his wife and their three young children on June 14, 2007, the day he was supposed to be driving them to an Illinois water. Police had given him every opportunity to blame his wife, but he responded, There was no way she could have hurt the kids. . The fact it was either him or his wife that was the shooter. . Five years later, Chris was convicted of murdering his family and is now serving four life sentences. The two detectives leave Vaughn in the interview room for hours between discussions, alternating between courteous questioning and intense interrogation. Vaughn, who was stockpiling camping gear and spending thousands of dollars at strip clubs in the weeks before the slayings, declined to address the court before he was sentenced. ", After the sentencing, Kimberly's family hugged and shook hands with investigators. On Saturday, Vaughn was arrested in St. Charles and This podcast is an attempt to give the Vaughn family a platform to besmirch their dead daughter in law and grandchildren. I am interested in reading up on the case. Chris handgun was found on the floor near his wifes feet. Kimberly Vaughn, 34, who had recently completed an online degree in criminal justice, was killed first, prosecutors said. first-degree murder in the deaths. The gun had not been jammed under her chin, as investigators initially suspected. In 2007, Chris Vaughn was arrested during a funeral for his wife and three children. His case seems to be that the ballistics did not 100% line up with the state's theory. . I told him that you had noticed and I had noticed a big personality change and anxiety change and that I was lethargic (tired all the time)., According to the new medication guide published in May 2009, the FDA required the manufacturer to insert into the product labeling new warnings informing patients and physicians: Effects on Thinking . While prosecutors flashed grisly photos of his wife and three young children slumped dead and bleeding in the family SUV, Christopher Vaughn sat expressionless, calmly jotting notes. 'Murder in Illinois' also explores the details of Chris Vaughn's family. The screening of his police interview video has been the most dramatic part of the second week of testimony at Vaughn's trial in Joliet, according to the Chicago Tribune. Christopher Vaughn was convicted nine years ago for the murder of his wife and three kids, who were found shot to death inside the family's SUV, parked near Channahon in 2007. UPDATED: 8/20/2011 - 4:46 p.m. CHICAGO (CBS) -- Jurors in Christopher Vaughn's family murder trial were shown graphic photos of the defendant's dead wife and three children, and prosecutors . On November 9, 1971, 46-year-old accountant John List killed his entire family in their Westfield, NJ, mansion. Kim looked at me and said, You will not take my kids. Kims sister paints a picture of a person who wanted to be a good mom, good wife, a good person. , Your post contains more evidence than the seven hours of this podcast so far. He said Kimberlys arm blocked it. Season 1 explored a different case. A jury took less than an hour in September 2012 to convict Christopher Vaughn at the end of a five-week trial that featured more than 80 witnesses. Vaughn is being held in Pinckneyville Correctional Center, records show. We have many Abigayle "Abbi" Vaughn, 12, an accomplished student and athlete who had just begun wearing eye makeup, was slain while clutching a Harry Potter book and a stuffed animal. He had a fair trial. After this, the CSI was excluded from the investigation and the Will County States Attorney wrote a letter to his supervisor asking that the CSI no longer be assigned to Will County cases. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. to keep expanding and making Murderpedia a better site, but we really The shots to the children in the back seat came from over the left shoulder of the front passenger seat, where Kimberly was found, records show. 2007-02-15 Stephen Willott, was e-mail friend who planned to live in Canadian wilderness with Chris Vaughn 08/31/12 "Friend: Christopher Vaughn wanted simple life away from government, people" (CBS), Christopher Vaughn, By The jury had been considering the case for barely about an hour when they found him guilty. Clutter has previously written that a transfer blood stain on Kimberlys right thumb all comes together to prove it was the wife who unbuckled her own seatbelt, after her husband had been shot., That was my working theory at the time, Clutter said Thursday. But despite Mills' claims, Lenard contended "the evidence will show Mr. Vaughn did not pull the trigger in the vehicle that day his family passed away.". Police investigators used this in their affidavit for probable cause, concluding that his statement of having looked down at his leg and then exiting the vehicle to summon help was inconsistent with the evidence of his wifes blood on the back of his jacket. What's so unbelievable about all of this is that Archie actually convinced a group of friends that killing 7 people would bring baby Craig back from the dead! 'Theyre dead. Plus, hear from the former Assistant State's Attorney who believes Chris is right where he belongs. Pritzkers press secretary declined to comment. There's circumstantial evidence that he was unhappy and wanted to leave his family, his story is sketchy as hell (he knew what happened at first, and then he had amnesia? The interpretation of blood stains on Kimberlys lap and upper legs indicate she was leaning over the gun when it was fired, which further supports a suicide. "Mr. Vaughn likes writing poetry. Just because you feel inferior academically doesnt mean someone is else is forcing that superiority on you. His . Blake had been shot in the forehead and near his left underarm indicating he had raised his arm defensively. The case is currently putting me in mind of the Jeffrey MacDonald case. Christopher sustained minor injuries to his wrist and leg while the other four sustained fatal gunshot . He said, Every time I would come up with something that the evidence would suggest or support or you would be able to at least follow the evidence to come to a logical conclusion, basically I was just given some other crazy way that this could have occurred or they would change their theory of what happened to try to match the evidence rather than letting the evidence dictate to you the events that occurred. Watch with discovery+ 5. I went down a Google rabbit hole in trying to figure out what case this guy had for his innocence, and it's a really tough one to figure. Much of the trial focused on blood evidence that prosecutors said proved Vaughn murdered his family. This analysis of the crime scene evidence not only disproves the initial police theory that it was Chris who unbuckled the seat belt, but it helps to establish evidence supporting a defense theory that this was a murder-suicide committed by the wife. He genuinely appeared unaware that his family had been killed. "All this tragedy, because one person just could not walk away. The mistake he made, they told him, was parking the vehicle under the cell phone tower. Evidence will show that Vaughn planned to take off and live in the Yukon wilderness, Mills said, and that before going "he wanted to be without any obligations.". "When you first opened the door, it looked like they all should be sleeping," he said. However, the DNA report contradicted his testimony. .I froze and I looked down and my leg was bleeding. To have that memory in his mind of what happened next would be too painful to bear. Her chief complaint on the day she went to see the osteopath was for the onset of high anxiety. . Mr. Vaughn dresses differently than most people do," Lenard said, and that "makes him vulnerable to suspicion and accusation.". Courtesy Melville Vaughan When the FBI took up the case, in 1923, agents badly bungled the probe. It would make me feel better if you'd at least eat some fries,' says Lawson. Mr. Vaughn is quirky. He traveled all over the U.S and Mexico downloading computer hard drives and mobile devices for some of the largest law firms, Navigant clients. The night before the killings, Vaughn also visited a shooting range, according to trial testimony. It was Christopher Vaughn, 32-year-old cyber crime and computer security investigator. The jury returned the verdicts Monday, a few hours after hearing from prosecutors and lawyers for the former cattle truck driver. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. When the man asked if he had been in a motorcycle accident, or if he had been stabbed, he replied, No, I think my wife shot me. On Saturday, Vaughn was arrested in St. Charles and charged with eight counts of. The Murdaugh family. After hearing the evidence that supported our defense theory, he recruited a defense attorney to assist pro bono. Its worth mentioning that when Christopher was interviewed by police they suggested that he had been stressed out, which caused him to shoot and kill his family. I may need to up my standards. Transfer stains occur when an object, like a thumb, comes into contact with a bloody object. Other side effects: acting aggressive, being angry or violent and acting on dangerous impulses.. Vaughn, Kimberly Ellen (nee Phillips), Oswego, IL, June 14, 2007 age 34. They are lucky they were allowed to be at the funeral. "There isn't a punishment that fits this crime," State's Attorney James Glasgow said. After Earnest Lee Hargon killed his cousin and cousin's wife, he tightened a rope around the neck of the couple's 4-year-old son, tied a knot and walked away as the child died, prosecutors said . Before the death penalty went away, I was bringing in an expert to help explain this. Convicted of murder after a two-day trial in May 1945, Hall was sentenced to death. I dont know the family, but Kimberly baby-sat my husband and his brother when they were little. Plus, hear from the former Assistant States Attorney who believes Chris is right where he belongs. February 15, 2007 (Thursday) . The rod pointed in the direction of the passenger seat. Though Vaughn claimed not to remember details of the shooting, he contended that he pulled the Expedition off the highway when Kimberly said she was feeling sick. The States Attorney was also convinced that the barrel of the gun had been forcefully jammed underneath Kimberly Vaughns chin, based on his interpretation of what they called a snowman like soot impression on the bottom of Kimberlys chin. I tried to explain it awaymaybe they are really young?maybe they couldn't figure out a better way to begin the podcast?Maybe I have to fold all this laundry and I have nothing else to listen to , so I am just going to let it go? Forensic evidence emerges throughout the podcast series. Susan Phillips, right, mother of Kimberly Vaughn, and Kimberly's twin sister, Jennifer Ledbetter, spoke at Christopher Vaughn's sentencing Tuesday at the Will County Courthouse in Joliet. My hand shook badly. They both would have turned 40 next month. When investigators arrived at the scene, they noticed blood stains on the strap of the seatbelt. I was wondering if it is making anyone who followed the trial and was firmly in the "Chris Vaughn is guilty as sin" camp think twice about their conclusion? There is a transfer stain of blood on the inside of Kimberlys right thumb. , they noticed blood stains on the case is currently putting me in mind of happened! 'D at least eat some fries, ' says Lawson, I was bringing in an to... A former Dr. Oz producer, has said Kimberlys family declined her requests for comment be aired during the of. Christopher sustained minor injuries to his wrist and leg while the other four sustained fatal gunshot St. Charles and with... 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