Bethell murder suspect to be tried as an adult

A boy who was 14 when Marilyn Bethell of Aurora was killed will be tried as an adult, a Kane County judge ruled today.

Garang Deng, who will turn 16 on Saturday, now faces 45 years to life in prison if convicted of using a handgun in the substance abuse counselor's October 2005 slaying.

If Deng, a Sudanese immigrant who committed eight felonies in a four-year span, was tried in juvenile court, he could have been imprisoned only until he turned 21.

Attorneys for Deng, a former Waubonsie Valley High School student, argued the teen had a traumatic childhood in war-torn Sudan and hadn't seen his father since he was 5. They said murder was not consistent with his pattern of stealing from others as a way to fight back against authorities.

A Pennsylvania boot camp that emphasized positive reinforcement along with more counseling would be a good alternative for Deng, attorney Raymond Bolden argued this week.

Prosecutors pointed to Deng's lengthy criminal record of burglaries, car thefts and even threatening a judge when he was 11. They also noted Deng told a psychologist he participated in two drive-by shootings in Aurora and exposed himself on a school bus and fondled a female student.

Prosecutors say Deng broke into Bethell's home in late October 2005, eventually shooting her in the head and dumping her body along the Illinois Prairie Path, where it was found Dec. 26, 2005.

They say Deng's DNA matches some found in semen in a tissue at Bethell's home. They also recovered a rare Russian-made gun from Deng's home, saw his student ID along the Prairie Path Oct. 30, and said a pillow recovered from her stolen car had a bullet hole through it.

For a complete report, see Saturday's editions of the Daily Herald.