Aurora woman charged in brutal stabbing death of Naperville man

A 29-year-old Aurora woman has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the brutal stabbing death Tuesday of Naperville resident Scott Hardy.

Jessica Hoskin, of the 2300 block of Redbud Lane, is being held on $500,000 bail after appearing at a bond hearing Friday morning in front of DuPage County Judge Liam Brennan.

Naperville police said they responded to a call of a disturbance at an apartment on the 700 block of Inland Circle on the city's northwest side about 8:45 p.m. Tuesday and found the 54-year-old Hardy alone and unresponsive in a living room chair with blood on his clothing. Hardy had been stabbed on the left side of his neck under the jawbone.

He was pronounced dead at an area hospital.

Investigators believe Hoskin was watching television with Hardy when the two began arguing. At some point they believe Hoskin stabbed Hardy, severing his carotid artery and jugular vein.

Hoskin then fled, authorities said, before turning herself in at the Aurora Police Department.

"It is alleged that in the early evening of Oct. 1, a verbal altercation between Jessica Hoskin and Scott Hardy turned physical resulting in the death of Mr. Hardy," DuPage State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a written statement. "I offer my sincerest condolences to Scott's family and friends as they try to come to terms with this tragic, senseless loss of life."

"This was an unnecessary loss of life and a terrible crime that required an attentive initial response by our patrol division and a relentless follow-up investigation by our detectives and crime scene unit," Naperville Police Chief Robert Marshall said.

Hoskin is scheduled for arraignment on Nov. 5 in front of Judge Brennan.