2 more guilty pleas in aftermath of Elburn teen's death

Cathy Reinert has already forgiven the people who left her son's body in a Chicago alley after his suspected drug overdose two years ago. But it still pains her that only one of them has ever apologized.

"Mike's body wasn't the only thing left in the alley that day," she said. "A piece of my heart was left there, too."

On Thursday, Reinert saw the final two of three defendants convicted in connection with the Dec. 16, 2007, death of her son, 17-year-old Michael York of Elburn, whose body was abandoned after his suspected heroin overdose at a party in St. Charles.

Jordan Billek, 19, of Maple Park, offered the first and only apology Reinert received from any of the defendants after pleading guilty to obstructing justice and an unrelated heroin possession charge.

"I'm sorry for your loss," he said, turning to Reinert. "Mike was a good friend. It's a terrible thing that happened."

Also pleading guilty to obstructing justice was Lindsey Parker, 24, of St. Charles, who answered "nope" when Judge Allen M. Anderson asked if she would like to make a statement to the court.

Prosecutors said Parker summoned Billek and another co-defendant, Nathan Green of Maple Park, to dispose of York's body after she tried to wake up the teenager and discovered he had died at her home on the 4000 block of Royal Fox Drive, where they all had been partying.

Her attorney, Vince Solano, said Parker believed there was "very little she could do to stop the death of Michael York," which he attributed to the "power of drugs."

"Everybody was fighting their own demons," Solano said. "Everybody, including Michael York, has to take responsibility."

Reinert said her son had been sober for 18 months, and was sponsoring Billek in a substance abuse treatment program, when he died.

Billek and Parker each were sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to continue substance abuse treatment. Green, who pleaded guilty last month to delivering heroin to York, was sentenced to four years in prison.

On Thursday, Anderson said he found it "disturbing" that Parker did not apologize. Similarly, Green did not make a statement at his hearing last month.

"I do find it disturbing that you have nothing to say to comfort somebody who has lost something from what you started," Anderson told Parker, noting his acceptance of the plea deals "doesn't mean I approve of what went on here."

Anderson warned both Billek and Parker could face prison time if they don't complete probation. "I do hope you succeed, but it's entirely up to you," he said.

Reinert said she has already forgiven the defendants in the hopes of moving on with her life, which also includes two daughters, ages 16 and 3. She said she empathized with Billek's parents for their son's struggle with drugs.

"What matters is the outcome," she said outside of court. "If they want to change, they're going to change."