Aurora man guilty of girlfriend's murder, faces up to 85 years
A Kane County jury deliberated less than two hours Monday before convicting an Aurora man of gunning down his ex-girlfriend - with whom he had two children - in January 2014.
Christopher Whetstone, 49, faces 45 to 85 years in prison when sentenced for fatally shooting Rachel Taylor, 22, who died of wounds to her chest and stomach after being found on the 500 block of Charles Street on Aurora's west side.
During the 11-day trial before Kane County Judge John Barsanti, prosecutors argued that Whetstone was seen running from the scene shortly after gunshots were heard. They said he made incriminating statements to police and that tests showed the presence of gunshot residue on his hands.
Although the gun was not recovered, spent .22-caliber shell casings were found in and around Taylor's Dodge Durango.
Whetstone and Taylor had two children, who were 5 years and 20 months old when she was killed. They lived together nearly a year until Taylor moved out in fall 2013 to live with her mother in West Chicago.
Defense attorneys argued that Taylor was the victim of a drive-by shooting and that Whetstone ran from the scene to draw fire from the SUV, where the children were buckled up in the back seat. A 911 call from the shooting identified a black Nissan as a suspect vehicle, and there were no eye witnesses, attorneys argued.
"Rachel wanted to end the relationship. Mr. Whetstone responded by killing her," State's Attorney Joe McMahon said. "In doing so, he committed the ultimate act of domestic violence. In this case, as in too many other cases, the horrific outcome of the domestic dispute is amplified because two children will grow up without their parents."
In addition to murder, the jury found that Whetstone fired the gun that caused Taylor's fatal injuries, which under state law adds 25 years to any murder sentence. First-degree murder is punishable by 20 to 60 years in prison.
Whetstone, who has been held at the Kane County jail since January 2014, is next due in court on May 12, when a sentencing date will be set.
He must serve his full sentence.