Gone was the Capital Litigation Trust Fund, a $20 million statewide fund created as one of the reforms to level the playing field by providing funding for defense experts, investigators, and experienced criminal defense attorneys. Christopher Vaughn, of Oswego, Illinois, is seen in his police interview declining to even say the names of his murdered three children and wife. Early in June 2007, Chris Vaughn, 32, was discovered hobbling from his SUV after suffering two non-fatal gunshot wounds. Crime Scene Reconstruction: Bullet Trajectory. His . By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. They told him that after 911 cell phone towers were equipped with security cameras. Its unlikely that Vaughns recollection of the murders from 2007 was useful. 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.". The jury had been considering the case for barely about an hour when they found him guilty. the Vaughn family's Oswego home. The three children were each shot once in the head and once in the torso. 'I just don't know I think I panicked or something.'. I am new to Reddit. 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 . She was athletic and played volleyball. lastly, its SO weird that his parents say things like accident they left all the odd terminology regarding the murders struck me as super weird. 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.". On the case for four years, Chriss defense team, now preparing for trial, was yanked from the game. 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. The tragic incident took place on what should have been an exciting day at a local waterpark for the . Analysis of the bloodstain patterns on her left hand provides more compelling evidence that her death was indeed, a suicide. ", Steve Schmadeke and Chicago Tribune reporter. It was then re-dated to reflect that it was finalized a day after the lead detective gave his factually inaccurate grand jury testimony. He also said there is no question [Vaughn] was wearing that jacket when he was shot contradicting the theory that Vaughn had wrapped the gun in the jacket. His jacket had holes in it that suggested it was bunched around the gun when fired. Posted on December 5, 2021. whose wife and three children were found fatally shot in the very fascinating. the forensics and all circumstantial evidence, including Chris own words and online conversations point to one scenario, hes a family annihilator . The family all dressed in water park attire because thats where they believed they were going. The trial of a father accused of killing his family yesterday reached a dramatic moment when the jury were shown a bizarre video of the man refusing to look at photos of his children after they were shot. It makes me feel less alone that many of you felt the weight of listening to his family talk so positively about a man that is convicted of such a abhorrent crime. All of the stains tested, including the latch, proved Chris was the source of the blood, meaning that his wifes seatbelt had been latched at the time that her husband was shot. Most likely from when he placed the gun at her feet. He was calm and did not display any signs of panic. Each of the murders resulted in a life sentence for 46-year-old Vaughn. Christopher Vaughn wanted to live in perfect freedom in the Canadian wilderness, prosecutors said, but instead he will spend the rest of his life in prison after a Will County judge sentenced him to four consecutive life terms Tuesday for the murders of Vaughn's wife and three children. They said he spent nearly $5,000 at a strip club in the days before the murders. I can breathe again. Christopher Vaughn is accused of murdering his wife and three kids in 2007. . It also said he felt ashamed because he failed to protect his children and would have shot Kimberly if she hadnt done it herself. But at one point in the tape, a weary and disheveled Vaughn is seen saying: 'I couldnt have done this; she couldnt have done this.'. The Vaughn family moved from Washington state to the Chicago area about a year ago, bringing their two dogs with them, according to the May 27 article. After seeing these colorized vintage crime scene photos, take a look at colorized photos that bring century-old New York to life. 15:45 GMT 29 Aug 2012. The rod pointed in the direction of the passenger seat. Whats become of Christopher Vaughn? But in Vaughns case, he said the evidence was overwhelming.. 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. However, the DNA report contradicted his testimony. SHARE. The States forensic pathologist later disagreed with this conclusion and testified in deposition that the soot pattern fanning away from the entrance wound meant that this was loose contact with no force. . Was he responsible? Then, the surviving husband and father revealed that he had been getting threats. "All this tragedy, because one person just could not walk away. "Mr. Vaughn does not show his feelings or emotions to anyone under any circumstances," said attorney George Lenard. [1] All four members of the family were shot in their SUV while on the way to a Springfield, IL waterpark. The Murdaugh family. Angelo Ciaravino and Richard Zoller both have a way of getting their Mount Carmel teammates and the crowd fired up. Initially, it was believed that he had unbuckled his wifes seat belt after he shot her. He said that when he was told at the hospital he had been shot, he was incredulous because there was no one else around and his wife didn't own a gun. Crucially, prosecutors also argued that two bullet holes in a jacket he wore had been created when someone wrapped the gun in the jacket to either silence or conceal the weapon, or to cushion a blow. This led him to question the states theory that Chris had killed his family. I got to the road to get help.. The States Case It was like my mind shut off . Very little back spatter would occur with the bullet entering the soft underside of the chin. Will the strippers get two episodes to tell their story? 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. the Murderpedia project stay alive. He spent over $4,000 on one stripper during two visits a week apart. She was one of Susan's three daughters with Del, an attorney. James Waybern Hall: The murderer known as "Big Jim" killed 4 people, including his wife, in Arkansas between 1944 and 1945. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. His three children had each been shot twice, and his wife had a single gunshot wound under her chin. 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. It seems like the family was dead set on focusing on the negative with Kim and her family. I felt like I needed some balance or to just clean my palate. None of this makes any logical sense. Another incriminating fact was Chris visit to a strip club near OHare Airport two nights before his family was killed. She slumped toward the drivers seat and a river of blood flowed onto the center console, causing secondary spatter stains on the side of the drivers seat adjacent to the center console. She set up a total financial package, but when she suggested insuring the lives of his children, Chris declined. The gun was thrust into his jacket above the right pocket for the second shot. The ISP crime scene investigator documented in his report that the bullet that struck Cassandra, seated in the middle between her two siblings, exited through the back of her seat and lodged in the rear cargo seat. The bullet deflected off the watch and went out the drivers side window evidence that was consistent with the CSIs interpretation. 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. I got back in to check the kids. Was disappointed to hear the spin as well. I've got nothing to go back to.'. Pacheco, a former Dr. Oz producer, has said Kimberlys family declined her requests for comment. Vaughn is accused of gunning down his wife, Kimberly, and children, Abigayle or 'Abbi', 12, Cassandra or 'Sandi', 11, and Blake, in the family in SUV in June 2007. Their claims of being judged by her family are pure projection. Tuesday, June 9, 2020 The Christopher Vaughn Murder Case Christopher Vaughn, a 32-year-old former private investigator who specialized in cyber-crime detection and computer security, lived with his wife and their three children in Oswego, Illinois, a suburban community of 30,000 west of Chicago. If you hadn't started this thread, I would have. According to a study that used high speed photography to document veterinarians shooting cattle at close range, there were several occasions when no back spatter was observed. first-degree murder in the However, a state police ballistic expert from ISP crime lab who was present when he made this remark disputed this chauvinistic assumption saying that her own hand was able to test fire the weapon with no difficulty. The bag was still sitting on the table untouched about an hour later. And if he married her, that was his choice. In 1991, she received her high school diploma from St. Charles West. Heres some of whats on our to-do list. Chris parents, Gail and Pierre, and private investigator Bill Clutter, all claim Chris is innocent and Clutter claims he has evidence to prove it. 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. . seen Friday leaving a funeral home after the visitation in St. Kimberlys doctor began to prescribe a cocktail of medications to relieve her migraine headaches, including the prescription medications Nortriptyline and Topamax. But what we see on the left thumb is seepage of blood from the wound, creating large patterns of passive blood drops. Gov. "He's going to get the opposite of what he wants," Weiss said. You killed them. She then turned the gun on herself and fired. 'I'm really confused,' Vaughn says early in the interview with detectives. The next night, Archie and his buddies went out in search of victim number one. I recommended that we appoint an expert in psychiatry to evaluate the statements Chris made to police. Forensic evidence emerges throughout the podcast series. Theres also a low key misogynistic vibe throughout their entire monologue. The nit picking of the family is BEYOND! On Thursday, she told the Sun-Times that rifts in the family contributed heavily to the public perception of Vaughns guilt.. The bullet was recovered from the motor of the drivers door window mechanism. He turned his pistol, the same one he had used the night before to practice shooting at a gun range, and shot Blake, 8, Cassandra, 11, and Abigayle, 12, all in the head and the chest. On Saturday, Vaughn was arrested in St. Charles and , updated By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. So the mind blocks it out. As investigators unravel the truth, they find that not everyone in this family was a happy camper. When they extended the passenger seatbelt there was a heavy concentration of blood that had soaked through the fabric of the belt which had been concealed within the frame of the vehicle. Emma Reynolds Maggie Murdaugh/Facebook. Later, under pressure, Vaughn is asked to guess what happened. He claims he had been patching things up with her after he had confessed to cheating on her and was trying to be a better family man. said she always spoke highly of her family. It was only after I read the transcripts and watched the 20 hours of video interrogation by police that I realized Chris might be innocent. Christopher Vaughn and his family Christopher Vaughn's letter to his parents Murder in Illinois: The crime scene reconstruction: . He did this so he could later claim Kimberly shot him and the three children before turning the gun on herself, and that he was lucky enough to be the only one to leave the SUV with his life, Mills said. Sadly, it took place on what should have been an exciting day at a local waterpark for the family. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. 10:18 GMT 29 Aug 2012 Traces of his flesh and blood, and denim and polyester fibers consistent with the jacket and jeans were found on the bullet. Approved by the FDA to treat epilepsy and seizures, Topamax has an off label use for the treatment of migraine headaches. Did You Wonder Who Fired the Gun? The best defense evidence was developed when we went to inspect the family vehicle stored in the old Joliet Penitentiary. He recommended we retain ballistics expert Lucien Haag. Here is a look at some of the evidence and motives law enforcement have explored during the course of their investigation. The sergeant tells him: 'Say their names. He then. I just started listening to the podcast, "Murder in Illinois Who Killed the Vaughn Family?". He also objectedwhile the jury was out of the courtroomto photos taken of Kimberly and the children when they were still alive being shown on the screen. Have the Vaughns considered that the reason their in laws didn't want to visit them is because they are jerks? The police questioned Vaughn in hospital. Christopher Vaughn, of Oswego, Illinois, is charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of his wife and three children on June 14, 2007. Just because you feel inferior academically doesnt mean someone is else is forcing that superiority on you. The podcasts host, Lauren Bright Pacheco, said the theory offered in Thursdays episode, its ninth, has already been tested in a crime-scene reconstruction July 15 in Kentucky. . She had sex with her bf, why dont they have equal responsibility in the pregnancy? That stripped away resources to defend Vaughn. Hall was sentenced to death by electrocution in May 1945 and executed on January 4, 1946. yesmagazine.org. 113K views 10 years ago Three years ago, the murder of one man's family stunned a small Illinois town. Prosecutors said blood evidence suggested Vaughn was moving over Kimberlys body after her death, and none of it pointed to a struggle. 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. The bullet passed within a fraction of an inch over his penis and scrotum, entered the top of his left leg and exited through the side seam of his jeans. Christopher only sustained minor wounds to his wrist and leg, compared to the other four who all suffered fatal bullet wounds. other than pointing to drugs there is Nothing to lead any reasonable person to believe Kim shot anyone. Charles, Mo. But he always seemed unemotional. Police had given him every opportunity to blame his wife, but he responded, There was no way she could have hurt the kids. Sit down dining, or available carryout, Year around. Vaughn told investigators the family had been on its way to a water park in Springfield. its sad to me that before her death Kim was telling other people about her husbands good traits and she was looking into marriage counseling. It was around midnight when the parents of April Boss went looking for the 19 . The lab was unable to find his fingerprints on the article. Family Annihilation: The Vaughn Family Murders. At one point, Sergeant Gary Lawson asks Vaughn what he thought the person who had killed his family deserved. After getting back inside the car, he said, I looked over and thought I saw a gun, but I knew that was impossible why does Kim have a gun? Mr. Vaughn is quirky. She said the results will be aired during the weekly podcasts 11th episode. Why is her dad responsible for the teen pregnancy?! The first entrance hole was the front right pocket; the second an exit hole near the back bottom left side of the jacket. There was a life insurance policy on his wife worth a million dollars, but if Chris was motivated by money, why would he leave a job that paid him $200,000 a year to hike into the wilderness to live off nature? When Vaughn's family was killed, he lost his three young children and his wife, making him the sole survivor. Learn more about this story in the video above. "She's happy on the outside, but you'll see, ladies and gentleman, she was troubled on the inside," Lenard said. I really couldnt believe what I was hearing. Not buying it. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. In discussing his fantasy to trek into the wilderness, he suggested he could fake his own death so his stay-at-home wife could collect on his three and a half million dollar life insurance policy. 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. His insurance agent told me she had suggested they take out a life insurance policy as part of sound financial planning. A life sentence for 46-year-old Vaughn was his choice had a single gunshot wound under chin! This family was dead set on focusing on the case for four years, Chriss defense,. Vaughn is accused of murdering his wife had a single gunshot wound under her chin like mind... Four who all suffered fatal bullet wounds her high school diploma from St. Charles West of getting their Mount teammates... 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