Trial date set for man charged in former basketball standout's slaying
A 52-year-old Hinsdale man accused of the calculated killing of a man he believed was having an affair with the same woman he was having an “emotional affair” with will stand trial in October, nearly two years after the slaying.
Judge George Bakalis set an Oct. 4 trial date for Jeffrey Keller, 52, of the 5500 block of South Park Avenue.
Keller is charged with the first-degree murder of Nate Fox, a 37-year-old car salesman and former basketball player, on Dec. 22, 2014, at Fox's Bloomingdale townhouse.
Keller was the CEO of a business called 8to18inc.com, which owns and operates the popular Athletics2000 online platform that many area school districts use to highlight their athletic programs.
Prosecutors say Keller stalked Fox for days before gunning Fox down as he left his vehicle in his driveway on the 200 lock of Tamarack Drive. They said Keller held a delusional belief that Fox was having a romantic relationship with a woman Keller was having an “emotional affair” with.
Prosecutors allege Keller became angry and accused the woman of having a relationship with Fox, with whom she previously worked at an insurance agency. Despite her denials, prosecutors said, Keller was obsessed with the thought of her being with another man and wanted Fox “out of the way.”
While prosecutors maintained Thursday that there was never any contact or interaction between Keller and Fox prior to the slaying, Keller's attorneys have a different theory.
Defense attorney Paul DeLuca wouldn't divulge his entire theory but said he is investigating whether Fox had any “unlawful contact” with Keller prior to the slaying.
DeLuca estimated the October trial may last slightly longer than a week.