Teh One Who Knocks
11-04-2011, 03:44 PM
By Matthew Walberg and Christy Gutowski - The Chicago Tribune
http://i.imgur.com/Fcxep.jpg
A 38-year-old parolee has been charged with fatally stabbing a 14-year-old girl in her Indian Head Park home last week.
John L. Wilson Jr., whose last known address was in the 7900 block of South Lafayette Avenue in Chicago, is scheduled to appear in court this morning around the same time funeral services will be held for Kelli O'Laughlin.
Wilson has been charged with first-degree murder and residential burglary, according to Sally Daly, a spokeswoman for the Cook County state's attorney's office. He is believed to have acted alone and has not made a statement to authorities, Daly said.
But a source said police obtained a DNA sample from a knit cap left behind in the O'Laughlin home and matched it to Wilson. He has three prior convictions, including one for armed robbery.
The O'Laughlin family received cruel text messages from the girl's cellphone after the slaying, sources said. "There were texts that were made to a family member taunting the family about her death," a source close to the investigation said.
It was not known if Wilson sent the messages, but no one else is believed to have been involved in the slaying.
It was also not clear if authorities were able to track Wilson through the cellphone. The phone was among items missing from the home after Kelli apparently walked in on a burglar in the family's home Oct. 27.
A Willow Springs police officer had contact with Wilson in the area on the night of the killing, sources said. The officer had responded to a disturbance not far from Kelli's home, sources said. Wilson told the officer his car was broken down and that he was trying to hail a cab, sources said.
One source said Wilson was able to call a cab, and other sources confirmed that police have impounded a taxi in connection with the case.
The officer had several days off and didn't return to work until Wednesday. It was then that he recognized the man matched a police sketch authorities had made public last week in Kelli's slaying, the sources said.
The sketch was based on the observation of witnesses who saw a man leaving the house, authorities said.
Authorities expressed confidence in the investigation Thursday night. "We feel very confident about the case and the individual in custody," sheriff Tom Dart said.
Indian Head Park Police Chief Frank Alonzo said: "I think we can rest a little bit easier tonight."
Kelli was found stabbed multiple times at her two-story home in a secluded forested neighborhood. Police believe the freshman at Lyons Township High School returned home from school and was attacked by her killer, who broke in through the back, either by a door or window.
A reward of $60,000 has been offered for information leading to an arrest.
A funeral for Kelli will take place at 9:45 a.m. today in St. John of the Cross Church, 5005 Wolf Road, Western Springs.
Her father, John O'Laughlin, said Wednesday that family members have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support they have received.
Indian Head Park, a bedroom community of roughly 3,800, is near Interstate Highway 55 and the Tri-State Tollway in Cook County.
http://i.imgur.com/Fcxep.jpg
A 38-year-old parolee has been charged with fatally stabbing a 14-year-old girl in her Indian Head Park home last week.
John L. Wilson Jr., whose last known address was in the 7900 block of South Lafayette Avenue in Chicago, is scheduled to appear in court this morning around the same time funeral services will be held for Kelli O'Laughlin.
Wilson has been charged with first-degree murder and residential burglary, according to Sally Daly, a spokeswoman for the Cook County state's attorney's office. He is believed to have acted alone and has not made a statement to authorities, Daly said.
But a source said police obtained a DNA sample from a knit cap left behind in the O'Laughlin home and matched it to Wilson. He has three prior convictions, including one for armed robbery.
The O'Laughlin family received cruel text messages from the girl's cellphone after the slaying, sources said. "There were texts that were made to a family member taunting the family about her death," a source close to the investigation said.
It was not known if Wilson sent the messages, but no one else is believed to have been involved in the slaying.
It was also not clear if authorities were able to track Wilson through the cellphone. The phone was among items missing from the home after Kelli apparently walked in on a burglar in the family's home Oct. 27.
A Willow Springs police officer had contact with Wilson in the area on the night of the killing, sources said. The officer had responded to a disturbance not far from Kelli's home, sources said. Wilson told the officer his car was broken down and that he was trying to hail a cab, sources said.
One source said Wilson was able to call a cab, and other sources confirmed that police have impounded a taxi in connection with the case.
The officer had several days off and didn't return to work until Wednesday. It was then that he recognized the man matched a police sketch authorities had made public last week in Kelli's slaying, the sources said.
The sketch was based on the observation of witnesses who saw a man leaving the house, authorities said.
Authorities expressed confidence in the investigation Thursday night. "We feel very confident about the case and the individual in custody," sheriff Tom Dart said.
Indian Head Park Police Chief Frank Alonzo said: "I think we can rest a little bit easier tonight."
Kelli was found stabbed multiple times at her two-story home in a secluded forested neighborhood. Police believe the freshman at Lyons Township High School returned home from school and was attacked by her killer, who broke in through the back, either by a door or window.
A reward of $60,000 has been offered for information leading to an arrest.
A funeral for Kelli will take place at 9:45 a.m. today in St. John of the Cross Church, 5005 Wolf Road, Western Springs.
Her father, John O'Laughlin, said Wednesday that family members have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support they have received.
Indian Head Park, a bedroom community of roughly 3,800, is near Interstate Highway 55 and the Tri-State Tollway in Cook County.