Wednesday, September 26, 2012
The 2012 Hinsdale South graduate was shot and killed Monday night on the grounds of the Hinsdale Lake Terrace apartment complex where he lived.
On Monday night, several Hinsdale South students who live at the Hinsdale Lake Terrace apartment complex in unincorporated Willowbrook watched as a friend and former classmate was gunned downed on the grounds of the apartment community off Route 83. READ: '18-Year-Old Shot and Killed in Unincorporated Willowbrook.' When something like this happens, people want to know who the victim was and why. As journalists, our job is to find as many answers as we can to the questions out there and report facts that will help keep the public informed. But when a son, friend and fellow classmate is taken in a senseless tragedy, the question of why could never be answered by a journalist. I don't think it's a question anyone can answer. But we can try to…
Monday, April 23, 2012
Although John L. Wilson has twice proven impossible to examine, he did show new signs of comprehension in court on Monday.
The man accused of the October 2011 murder of 14-year-old Indian Head Park resident Kelli O’Laughlin has twice failed to cooperate with a mental-health examination by Cook County Forensic Clinical Services, prosecutors said in Cook County 5th District court on Monday. Attempts were made to examine John L. Wilson on April 17 and April 20, both unsuccessful. Exam administers asked for an extension to try again, which Associate Judge John J. Hynes has granted. Hynes once again remanded Wilson to the Cook County Department of Corrections for a third exam later this week and issued a warning that future lack of cooperation would automatically invalidate any type of insanity defense. In contrast to his last court appearance, Wilson generally …
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Jerry Hudson was convicted of murdering his ex-wife in February; his sentence was handed down by a DuPage judge Tuesday.
- POLICE & FIRE
-
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
A man convicted of murdering his ex-wife on New Year's Day 2010 outside an Oak Brook hotel was sentenced to 60 years behind bars by Judge Daniel Guerin Tuesday in DuPage County Court. Around 6:30 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2010, 51-year-old Jerry Hudson shot then 45-year-old Melissa Bridgewater six times—three times in the head and three times in the back—while she was leaving a New Year's hotel party in her car, according to a release from DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin's Office. "Once Bridgewater was inside her vehicle in the hotel parking lot, Hudson ran his car into Bridgewater’s car, preventing her from leaving the parking lot," the release reads. "Hudson then approached Bridgewater’s vehicle and shot her while she sat in the …
Friday, November 4, 2011
John L. Wilson, Jr. is accused of killing Kelli O'Laughlin, 14, on Oct. 27. Police pursued hundreds of tips to bring "some level of justice," said Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart.
Police laid out the horrifying circumstances in the Oct. 27 death of 14-year-old Kelli O’Laughlin at a press conference Friday morning and accused parolee John L. Wilson, Jr. of killing O'Laughin after she inadvertently walked in on him burglarizing her house when she arrived home from school. According to Indian Head Park Police, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart and Illinois State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez, Wilson broke into the rear of the home on the 6300 block of Keokuk Avenue by putting a rock in a knit cap and hurling it through the dining room window. After he was confronted by O’Laughlin, authorities say Wilson used a butcher knife from a cutlery block in the family’s kitchen to stab her repeatedly in the back, neck and chest. He then …
Wilson will appear before a judge in bond court this morning on charges of first degree murder in stabbing death of Kelli O'Laughlin.
(Updated news from this story with full details of the crime and investigation can be found here.) Information on the criminal background of the person charged can be found here.) Charges have been filed in the murder of a 14-year-old Indian Head Park teen. Although police have yet to release an official statement, the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times and NBC5 report that the charges are for first-degree murder. John L. Wilson Jr., 38, of Chicago has been charged in O'Laughlin's death. Wilson is set to face a judge in bond court this morning. According to Fox News Chicago, Wilson was stopped the night of the murder by a Willow Springs police officer. Wilson told the officer his car had broken down and he was getting a cab. The officer …
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Evidence is being evaluated by the state attorney's office and charges may follow on Friday.
UPDATED: 9:40 p.m. Indian Head Park police and the Cook County Sheriff officially have confirmed that they are holding in custody a suspect in the murder of Kelli O'Laughlin. “I hope that this little bit of info that we have tonight will let [the community] sleep easier,” said Indian Head Park police chief Frank Alonzo. "We think that you can all sleep easier tonight.” Alonzo and Sheriff Tom Dart confirmed that the individual in custody has served jail time before. No more information about the individual was given. They have presented all leads, information and evidence to the Illinois state attorney's office. No charges have yet been filed, but they are likely to come on Friday or in the near future. The police chief and sheriff offered…
Friday, October 28, 2011
Friends who knew Kelli O'Laughlin since kindergarten will miss her.
About a dozen Lyons Township High School freshmen tied white ribbons around trees in front of the school in Western Springs Friday afternoon. "They're white, because white is pure, just like Kelli," said Abby, a friend of fellow freshman Kelli O'Laughlin, 14, who was murdered after getting home from school on Thursday. The group of students are remembering Kelli by putting together scrapbooks of their times together, and a memorial Facebook page has been created. Most of the students had gone to school with Kelli since kindergarten and several were on the cross country team with her. Friday afternoon, they wore purple ribbons around their heads. "Purple was her favorite color," said Lindsey, another LT freshman, who said she used to call …
41.80625
-87.88887
4600 Gilbert Ave, Western Springs, IL
/articles/lyons-township-students-grieve-loss-of-classmate
/locations/5698619
Monday, October 24, 2011
Patch catches you up on goings on at the DuPage County Judicial Center.
The following are a few notable DuPage County criminal cases that had hearings in Wheaton the week of Oct. 17-23: Wheaton—The expected Oct. 18 start of a murder trial in the 2009 stabbing death of Michael Scalzo was delayed after suspect Michael Delaney's attorney said new information relating to his client's medical history had surfaced. Delaney, who remains in DuPage County Jail, is charged with stabbing Scalzo four times in the chest and upper torso in what prosecutors claim was a premeditated attack. Delaney made threats to several people, including an ex-girlfriend, on June 19, 2009, at a Wheaton apartment complex, according to court records. Delaney acted in self-defense, his attorney has said. Delaney asked for his trial to be …
Monday, April 25, 2011
Here's a look at some of the cases we're keeping an eye on this week.
Being heard at the DuPage County Courthouse this week are separate cases against two Downers Grove women accused of felony theft—one from a high school and one from a youth football program—and hearings are scheduled for the Darien triple-murder case and the Elmhurst attempted-murder case. Darien—Jacob Nodarse, charged with killing three members of a Darien family in March, is scheduled for a hearing on April 26. Co-defendant Johnny Borizov's attorneys have been describing their defense as going after Nodarse's mental health. Nodarse's attorney has objected to releasing some psychological records about his client. Darien—Patricia Johnson and Pamela Williams appear on April 28 for their first hearing since pleading guilty to several felony…
Monday, November 22, 2010
Hinsdale investigator assists in case that leaves six-year-old and grandparents dead of gunshot wounds.
UPDATE: Hinsdale Investigator Assists in Murder-Suicide Case That Leaves Six-Year-Old and Grandparents Dead Julia A. Moore, 6, her grandmother Linda E. Brennan, 51, and Mark J. Chapman, 50, who was identified as the child's step-grandfather, were found dead of gunshot wounds at the scene of a double murder-suicide Friday morning. The DuPage County Coroner's office said Julia and her grandmother were shot multiple times. Chapman, who was Brennan's ex-husband, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head after leaving a hand-written note that stated he alone was responsible for the shootings. Police said an on-going custody dispute may have been a contributing factor in the shootings. Chapman and Brennan lived together in the …
Austin Lee Durbin
11:26 pm on Saturday, November 17, 2012
As someone who was in a classroom of 10 with Josh, I can't believe my eyes. I had no idea about this until I was browsing my friends pictures until I saw his face and the words RIP JOSH underneath. Josh was a great guy, sure he made me angry sometimes and yeah he'd insult me, jokingly and sometimes not but he was a really awesome man. I always laughed at the jokes he'd tell. He was like a brother… more ›