Images: DuPage Murder Convictions
Keith Allen, 23, of Chicago, pleaded guilty in February to the August 2009 suffocation murder of former attorney Carl Kuhn, 82, of rural Bartlett. Allen received 46 years.
Melissa Anderson, 20, of Maywood, pleaded guilty in June to second-degree murder for the fatal September 2010 stabbing of her boyfriend, 29-year-old Mansour Miller, inside his Willowbrook home. She received a 12-year prison term.
Terry Bratcher, 45, was convicted by a jury in September of suffocating 82-year-old Carl Kuhn of rural Bartlett during a robbery of the victims prized gun collection. Bratcher was sentenced to natural life in prison.
Joel Chavez, 28, of Aurora, was convicted by a judge in March of shaking and throwing his 5-month-old daughter, Julyssa, to death in January 2009. Sentence: 28 years.
Michael Costner, 24, of Chicago, pleaded guilty in June to the fatal August 2009 shooting of 36-year-old Gregory Riley in Aurora. Costner was sentenced to 20 years.
John Gilbert, 48, of Chicago, in October pleaded guilty but mentally ill to the February 2009 murder of co-worker Jason Dragos, 38, of Highland, Ind., who was found shot to death at their Burr Ridge office. Gilbert is awaiting sentencing.
Eric Gilford, 32, a former U.S. Navy recruiter from Downers Grove, pleaded guilty in June to the May 2010 stabbing murder of his estranged wife, 34-year-old Kristine Gilford. A judge sentenced him in October to 100 years in prison.
In February, Laurence Lovejoy, 45, was convicted by a jury for a second time of stabbing, beating, poisoning and drowning his 16-year-old stepdaughter, Erin EJ Justice, in Aurora in March 2004. Lovejoy was sentenced to life without parole.
Robert Lyons, 39, of Carol Stream, was convicted by a jury in September of the March 2008 beating and stabbing murder of his mother, 61-year-old Linda Bolek. Lyons, whom prosecutors said killed his mom when she wouldnt help him get Avril Lavigne concert tickets, is awaiting sentencing.
Joshua Matthews, 26, of Maywood, represented himself at trial but was convicted by a jury in January of fatally shooting 17-year-old Sade Glover outside her Warrenville home in October 2004. Matthews was sentenced to 100 years.
Jacob Nodarse, 25, of Countryside, pleaded guilty in September to first-degree murder in the March 2010 shooting deaths of Darien residents Jeffrey and Lori Kramer and their 20-year-old son Mike. Nodarse is awaiting sentencing while c0-defendant and alleged mastermind Johnny Borizov awaits trial.
Gary Schuning, 28, was convicted in May of the February 2006 stabbing murders of his mother, 40-year-old Doris Pagliaro, and Chicago call girl Kristi Hoening, 21, inside his Addison home. Schuning received a mandatory life sentence in May.
Dmitry Smirnov, 21, of Surrey, British Columbia, pleaded guilty in July to the murder of ex-girlfriend Jitka Vesel, 36, who was gunned down in an Oak Brook parking lot in April. Smirnov agreed to a life sentence without parole.
Dewaun Tate, 20, of Hanover Park, pleaded guilty in June to the November 2008 murder of 56-year-old Vatsala Thakkar, who was fatally stabbed during a robbery of the Hanover Park dollar store where she worked as a clerk. Tate is awaiting sentencing.
Enrique Torres, 28, of Aurora, was convicted by a judge in February of fatally shooting 35-year-old Edgar Hill of Hillside outside an Aurora motel in 2007. Torres received a 60-year prison sentence.
Gustavo Torres-Medel, 28, of West Chicago, was convicted in June of beating to death his 3-month-old son, Gustavo Torres-Medel Jr., in April 2009 after the infant wouldnt stop crying. The defendant was sentenced in July to 45 years.
Semaj Walker, 25, of Chicago, was convicted in January of the murder of 46-year-old James Keniski during a May 2007 robbery at Keniskis home in Villa Park. Walker — one of four men charged in the case — was sentenced to 32 years.
Imprisoned killer Michael Whitney, 58, pleaded guilty in September to the 1976 murder of 28-year-old nursing student Darlene Stack at a Wheaton boardinghouse. Whitney, who was charged while serving a 60-year term for an unrelated murder in Carol Stream, agreed to a life sentence without parole.
Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked.
If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.