Prosecutors seek cellphone records in Geneva murder case
Kane County prosecutors are seeking the cellphone records of Shadwick R. King, a Geneva man accused of murdering his wife July 6 in the city's first homicide since 1975.
King, 47, faces up to 60 years in prison if convicted of murdering Kathleen King, whose body was found on the Union Pacific Railroad tracks near the couple's east side home on the 800 block of Oak Street.
Prosecutors say King killed his 32-year-old wife by asphyxiation early Sunday morning and then moved her body to the tracks where is was spotted at about 6:40 a.m. by a train engineer.
Kane County Assistant State's Attorney Greg Sams has filed court papers seeking the cellphone records of both Shadwick and Kathleen King.
In addition to text message contents and numbers dialed, cell tower records also can be used to give an approximate location of the phone and thus, the defendant.
In his court motion, Sams wrote that Kathleen King's cellphone was located near her body when it was found on the tracks.
"The defendant made statements to law enforcement that following an argument with his wife at about 4 a.m. that morning, he took the victim's cellphone from her," the motion read. "It is believed at all relevant times, the defendant had his cellphone with him, as well as having the victim's cellphone with him at certain times."
Prosecutors want records from 10:30 p.m. July 5 through 11:30 a.m. July 6 "in an effort to more precisely pinpoint the location of the cellphones throughout that time period," according to the court motion.
Kane County Judge James Hallock will hear the motion Thursday.
King appeared briefly before Hallock Wednesday morning with Assistant Public Defender Brenda Willett in his first court appearance since his bond was set at $1.5 million Friday.
He must post $150,000 to be released while the case is pending.