1 00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:09,600 Speaker 1: Murder in Illinois is a production of iHeartRadio. When the 2 00:00:09,640 --> 00:00:13,240 Speaker 1: bodies of the three Vaughn children and their mother were discovered, 3 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:17,480 Speaker 1: the crime scene was so traumatizing that a police chaplain 4 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:21,120 Speaker 1: was brought to the location to provide counseling for first responders. 5 00:00:21,880 --> 00:00:26,759 Speaker 1: All their emotions, their horror, heartbreak, and anger would have 6 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:31,760 Speaker 1: been intertwined with the need for an explanation and for justice. 7 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:35,120 Speaker 1: As the lone survivor, Christopher Vaughn appears to have been 8 00:00:35,159 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 1: eyed almost immediately as the prime suspect, and, according to 9 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:42,680 Speaker 1: his mother Gail, in many ways after the tragedy, his 10 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 1: behavior and personality further implicated him. 11 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:50,560 Speaker 2: Chris prided himself with in not showing a lot of emotions. 12 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 2: Even growing up. He tried to be very stuck, and 13 00:00:55,680 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 2: he would take everything in stride and he would smile, 14 00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:01,440 Speaker 2: you know, all and stuff, but he tried not to 15 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:05,440 Speaker 2: show motion. I'm not sure where that came from, but 16 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:09,880 Speaker 2: because as a child he was just happy and happy, 17 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:13,000 Speaker 2: go lucky and smart alec and I'm a little boy. 18 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:17,680 Speaker 2: But then after he got married, he decided he just didn't. 19 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:18,840 Speaker 3: Want to show emotion anymore. 20 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:22,240 Speaker 2: And you knew by his eyes a twinkle or the 21 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:28,080 Speaker 2: crease or you know what. He was happy, sad or angry, 22 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:31,600 Speaker 2: which he didn't really get angry that often, but he 23 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:35,440 Speaker 2: did get angry. The evening before the funeral was supposed 24 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:37,200 Speaker 2: to take place. 25 00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:41,520 Speaker 4: We had gathered on our back deck. Our other son 26 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:44,479 Speaker 4: had a one son that was a toddler. I don't 27 00:01:44,520 --> 00:01:46,119 Speaker 4: even think he made it. He was a year old. 28 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:48,720 Speaker 4: But he was walking around like. 29 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:51,320 Speaker 3: A little bumblebee with his arms out and you. 30 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 1: Know, doing that stumbley thing. 31 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:55,240 Speaker 2: And whenever Chris saw him. 32 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:56,840 Speaker 5: Tears would come down his face. 33 00:01:58,240 --> 00:02:00,560 Speaker 2: He was really quiet around the case. As he'd sit 34 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:03,920 Speaker 2: down and let him crawl over him or walk over him, 35 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 2: and he just cried. But the jinny went to the 36 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:10,639 Speaker 2: fielder Roland. 37 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:11,519 Speaker 6: That was it. 38 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:14,160 Speaker 1: So did they let him bury his family? 39 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:15,799 Speaker 2: No? 40 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:21,760 Speaker 1: I'm Lauren Brat Pacheco, and this is murder in Illinois. 41 00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:34,799 Speaker 7: Crying out, okay, few the ground hold hold? 42 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:36,240 Speaker 8: How you? 43 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:01,760 Speaker 1: The Vaughan family was shot early morning of June fourteenth, 44 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 1: two thousand and seven. Chris was taken to the hospital 45 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 1: and interrogated for a period of the three days. Following 46 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 1: the deaths of his wife and children, Their bodies were 47 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:16,080 Speaker 1: transported to Missouri for the funeral planned for Saturday, June 48 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:20,320 Speaker 1: twenty third, as both sides of the grieving family prepared 49 00:03:20,320 --> 00:03:23,639 Speaker 1: to bury Kimberly and her three children. It was against 50 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:28,400 Speaker 1: the backdrop of relentless media coverage that painted Christopher Vaughan 51 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:30,560 Speaker 1: in an increasingly negative light. 52 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:34,320 Speaker 9: Witnesses described Vaughan's family as happy and normal in the 53 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:37,280 Speaker 9: days leading up to their deaths. Their bodies were found 54 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:40,200 Speaker 9: in the family vehicle parked near I fifty five on 55 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 9: a narrow path near a cell phone tower. Vaughn's father 56 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:46,120 Speaker 9: in law said he was troubled over how he left 57 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 9: for work one morning, stone faced and didn't say a 58 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 9: word to anyone. His sister in law said he talked 59 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:54,520 Speaker 9: to Kimberly Vaughan at least twice before her death, and 60 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:55,520 Speaker 9: she seemed fine. 61 00:03:57,000 --> 00:03:58,440 Speaker 1: Here's Chris's brother. 62 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 10: Eric, Well, I mean, it was portrayed that way on 63 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:06,080 Speaker 10: the news, and it was like on every channel, both 64 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:10,640 Speaker 10: local and up in Chicago area. You could find multiple 65 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:13,480 Speaker 10: stations broadcasting their opinions on it. 66 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:18,320 Speaker 1: So you felt like you watched your brother become a 67 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:22,719 Speaker 1: suspect in the media long before he was formally charged. 68 00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:29,440 Speaker 10: Oh, most definitely, most definitely yeah, it's breaking news and 69 00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:32,920 Speaker 10: everything like that. But you know, within hours they had 70 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:41,600 Speaker 10: released names, photos and everything that normally doesn't happen within hours. 71 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:45,560 Speaker 10: It's usually half a day or a day stuff is 72 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:49,960 Speaker 10: released to the press. It was almost like they were 73 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 10: released it before they really even did a lot of 74 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:58,000 Speaker 10: stuff testing and forensics and stuff like that. 75 00:04:58,839 --> 00:05:02,480 Speaker 1: In the days following the tr tragedy, Christopher seemed somewhat 76 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:06,680 Speaker 1: unresponsive to his family, though his actions were more in 77 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:09,840 Speaker 1: keeping with those of a grieving father than a murderer, 78 00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:11,720 Speaker 1: even a remorseful one. 79 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:15,440 Speaker 10: When I first saw him once he got back to 80 00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 10: my parents' house, I definitely gave him a big hug, 81 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:21,240 Speaker 10: a lot longer than I would normally give him a hug. 82 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 10: I mean, he looked just lost. This to look in 83 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:29,960 Speaker 10: his eyes, he was shocked. I guess it's still in shock. 84 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:34,440 Speaker 10: We talked a little bit, but nothing. We really didn't 85 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:37,719 Speaker 10: talk about what was happening. We talked and chit chatted 86 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:42,479 Speaker 10: about stuff, nothing related to what's happening with him for 87 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:43,279 Speaker 10: the most part. 88 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:47,440 Speaker 1: Did you ever talk to him about what happened that day? 89 00:05:48,480 --> 00:05:51,040 Speaker 1: Did you ever try to get answers from him? 90 00:05:52,520 --> 00:05:52,760 Speaker 11: Now? 91 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:58,720 Speaker 10: I didn't ask any direct questions, and I really wasn't 92 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:02,839 Speaker 10: sure if it was too soon to ask what happened? 93 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:06,960 Speaker 10: According to him, what happened. If I would have known 94 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:09,520 Speaker 10: a couple of days later he would be in jail, 95 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 10: I would have probably asked some questions, but I didn't. 96 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 5: What was he like? Emotionally and mentally had. 97 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:25,279 Speaker 10: Head down a lot, just kind of that blazed, stunned look. 98 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:27,880 Speaker 10: If you asked him a question or asked him if 99 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:31,000 Speaker 10: you need anything, I mean he'd answer you and kind 100 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:36,120 Speaker 10: of a very low enthusiasm is a kind of I'm okay, no, 101 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:40,800 Speaker 10: I don't need anything. He definitely didn't have the sarcasm 102 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:44,479 Speaker 10: like my family is is good for. I saw more 103 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:48,360 Speaker 10: emotion in his body movement and the way he held 104 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:53,400 Speaker 10: himself and walked, and the way he was I'd never 105 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:56,280 Speaker 10: seen anything like that, you know, from Chris. I would 106 00:06:56,279 --> 00:06:59,640 Speaker 10: have been thinking of through my head trying to replay 107 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:04,440 Speaker 10: every thing to figure out what happened. Yeah, I'm sure 108 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:07,040 Speaker 10: there's some type of pain from being shot to the 109 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 10: leg or whatever he was tobbling around. Yeah. I would 110 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:15,200 Speaker 10: have personally been more concerned with, Okay, what's going to 111 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 10: happen next? What do I need to do. What can 112 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:20,760 Speaker 10: I do? I would have them clue. 113 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:24,400 Speaker 1: In the days leading up to the funeral of Kim 114 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:28,680 Speaker 1: and his children, the police focus on Chris intensified. It 115 00:07:28,760 --> 00:07:31,760 Speaker 1: was becoming clear to him and to his family that 116 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 1: he was the primary, if not only, suspect, in their murders. 117 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:37,440 Speaker 1: Here's Gail Vaughan. 118 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:43,640 Speaker 2: When Chris was still with us and the Illinois State 119 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:48,480 Speaker 2: Police asked us to come back over for another interview 120 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:54,240 Speaker 2: with Pierre and Chris separately. Chris had a bad feeling 121 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:56,920 Speaker 2: about it, he says, Mom. They shouldn't be interviewing me 122 00:07:57,080 --> 00:08:00,920 Speaker 2: over and over about the same thing. Already told them 123 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 2: all I know and what I know, and it just 124 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:14,520 Speaker 2: we were getting different information feedbacks. We were reading what 125 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:17,920 Speaker 2: was happening in the paper against us, but we were 126 00:08:17,920 --> 00:08:22,040 Speaker 2: told not to make any comments. We did have reporters 127 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:26,440 Speaker 2: come to our door and leave cards to get an interview, 128 00:08:26,480 --> 00:08:28,680 Speaker 2: and we were told not to talk to any of them. 129 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:33,320 Speaker 1: The Vaughan family's decision to grieve privately and to avoid 130 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:36,319 Speaker 1: the press seems to have fueled the impression that they 131 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:40,600 Speaker 1: were either aloof or elusive. Christopher's family now has the 132 00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:44,199 Speaker 1: benefit of hindsight. I wondered what they would have done 133 00:08:44,280 --> 00:08:48,280 Speaker 1: differently if they'd have remained as quiet in the public eye. 134 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:49,440 Speaker 1: Here's Gale. 135 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:54,280 Speaker 2: I would definitely not fly under the radar. We were 136 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:58,280 Speaker 2: told not to talk to any press by our lawyers. 137 00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:04,120 Speaker 2: We were not to talk about this to anybody about 138 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:08,280 Speaker 2: our case or our feelings anything. We were not to 139 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:09,960 Speaker 2: say anything to anybody. 140 00:09:10,920 --> 00:09:12,880 Speaker 3: I think we should have. 141 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:15,920 Speaker 2: Just gone right out there and just started telling everybody 142 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:18,520 Speaker 2: that this was not true. It was just not right. 143 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:21,040 Speaker 1: Here's Adam, Chris's brother. 144 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:25,120 Speaker 8: You read about these types of tragedies in the news, 145 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:28,960 Speaker 8: you see them in the news, but you never you 146 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:33,080 Speaker 8: never expected to actually happen to someone you know, let 147 00:09:33,120 --> 00:09:38,960 Speaker 8: alone your family. But it was a very surreal situation, 148 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:44,000 Speaker 8: and I can remember wondering why the police kept bringing 149 00:09:44,080 --> 00:09:48,480 Speaker 8: Chris back into questioning. From the little bits and pieces 150 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:52,080 Speaker 8: that I heard between my parents and Chris, they weren't 151 00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 8: very consoling for an individual who had just lost his family. 152 00:09:57,040 --> 00:10:01,000 Speaker 8: The feel right from the beginning was that the police 153 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:05,240 Speaker 8: were trying to wring anything out of him. But they 154 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:08,360 Speaker 8: released him, and he came home to my parents' house 155 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:12,200 Speaker 8: and we were able to set up the funeral. 156 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:17,160 Speaker 1: Adam remembers watching his eldest brother begin to slowly unravel 157 00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:18,960 Speaker 1: in the days leading up to the service. 158 00:10:19,679 --> 00:10:20,320 Speaker 12: He was hurting. 159 00:10:20,760 --> 00:10:23,080 Speaker 8: I mean, that was very. 160 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:24,760 Speaker 10: Evident in his demeanor. 161 00:10:25,120 --> 00:10:28,760 Speaker 8: Wee bon mails are not overly demonstrative, but I absolutely 162 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:33,240 Speaker 8: saw him crying. I saw him trying to hold it 163 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:40,559 Speaker 8: together around people, but you could just see pain emanating 164 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:45,319 Speaker 8: from him. I mean, just the emotional pain and trauma 165 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:50,079 Speaker 8: is beyond what I could imagine. And then on top 166 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:53,680 Speaker 8: of that, he had physical pain. He had gunshot wounds 167 00:10:53,760 --> 00:10:55,560 Speaker 8: that he was attempting. 168 00:10:55,120 --> 00:10:57,520 Speaker 10: To heal from as well. 169 00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:00,600 Speaker 1: Arrangements for the service and burial had to be made 170 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:05,040 Speaker 1: in tandem with Kimberly's family. Needless to say, they likely 171 00:11:05,120 --> 00:11:08,280 Speaker 1: had a different perspective on things than the Vaughns. What 172 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:12,160 Speaker 1: the Vonns didn't know is just how involved law enforcement 173 00:11:12,200 --> 00:11:16,800 Speaker 1: had become in the background, and because of the existing dynamic, 174 00:11:17,320 --> 00:11:21,000 Speaker 1: there was already strained communication between the two families. 175 00:11:22,360 --> 00:11:26,240 Speaker 2: When we went to make the arrangements for the funeral, 176 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:30,840 Speaker 2: we had the Phillips there and I think their daughter Jinny, 177 00:11:31,559 --> 00:11:36,040 Speaker 2: and really the first out of Susan's mouth was, where's 178 00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:37,080 Speaker 2: Kimberly's jewelry? 179 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:38,079 Speaker 1: I want it. 180 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:42,240 Speaker 2: Somehow, Chris had anticipated she was going to want that, 181 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:46,240 Speaker 2: so he had put together a jewelry box full of 182 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:50,160 Speaker 2: everything he had purchased for Kimberly and gave it to her. 183 00:11:50,360 --> 00:11:53,400 Speaker 2: And she stilled it out on the table at that 184 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:56,360 Speaker 2: point and went through it and says, well, where's her 185 00:11:56,360 --> 00:11:59,880 Speaker 2: wedding ring, where's this? Where's that? I want it all? 186 00:12:00,400 --> 00:12:02,520 Speaker 2: And we just shrugged our shoulders because we weren't sure. 187 00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:05,440 Speaker 2: I told Chris it was his, that he should have 188 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:08,440 Speaker 2: kept it, but he said, no, Susan would want it 189 00:12:08,559 --> 00:12:11,880 Speaker 2: or make his life terrible, so he just gave it 190 00:12:11,920 --> 00:12:17,720 Speaker 2: to her and then we went ahead with the funeral arrangements. 191 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:21,080 Speaker 6: But during the funeral arrangements there was a lot of tension, 192 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:27,280 Speaker 6: I mean because missus Phillips Susan, I mean, she wanted 193 00:12:27,320 --> 00:12:28,839 Speaker 6: to direct everything and have it. 194 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:32,840 Speaker 13: Her way, and it pretty much turned out to it 195 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:35,360 Speaker 13: pretty much turned out to be because they had to 196 00:12:35,360 --> 00:12:39,360 Speaker 13: buy the grave sites and everything like that, and Chris 197 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:41,800 Speaker 13: said that he would like to have a grave site 198 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:42,520 Speaker 13: there too. 199 00:12:43,040 --> 00:12:44,960 Speaker 6: And at first she was not going to let them 200 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:46,720 Speaker 6: let him have a grave site there. 201 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:47,679 Speaker 8: Susan. 202 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:50,880 Speaker 6: Finally she admitted that she would let him have a 203 00:12:50,880 --> 00:12:55,200 Speaker 6: grave site there. Oh, and they wanted to keys the 204 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:58,840 Speaker 6: house too, because they had already assumed that they were 205 00:12:58,840 --> 00:13:01,760 Speaker 6: going to get the house and everything with it. 206 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:02,840 Speaker 14: Yeah. 207 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:06,960 Speaker 6: I mean, it was not a good scenario being in 208 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:11,959 Speaker 6: the same room with those people. But Chris handled it 209 00:13:12,080 --> 00:13:16,040 Speaker 6: pretty good. And when I started to get a little upset, 210 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:20,480 Speaker 6: he put his hand on my arm and just sort 211 00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:23,160 Speaker 6: of patted it and said, no, let it be, it's 212 00:13:23,280 --> 00:13:23,880 Speaker 6: not worth it. 213 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:29,559 Speaker 1: This is how the Vaughns remember these interactions. The Phillips 214 00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:34,559 Speaker 1: family has declined our multiple requests for comment. Given this situation, 215 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:38,720 Speaker 1: it's hard to fault anyone's reactions or actions during such 216 00:13:38,720 --> 00:13:42,720 Speaker 1: a tumultuous time, though the Phillips likely saw Chris as 217 00:13:42,760 --> 00:13:46,319 Speaker 1: the person who'd taken away their daughter and grandchildren. Not 218 00:13:46,400 --> 00:13:49,959 Speaker 1: only were they dealing with grief, but also intense anger. 219 00:13:50,880 --> 00:13:54,319 Speaker 1: But Chris, on the other hand, murderer or not, whether 220 00:13:54,480 --> 00:13:58,680 Speaker 1: driven by guilt or grief or both, was visibly affected 221 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:02,120 Speaker 1: by his loss. Here's Rachel Vaughan, the wife of the 222 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:03,760 Speaker 1: youngest Bond brother, Adam. 223 00:14:04,679 --> 00:14:07,080 Speaker 15: When we arrived at the funeral home the day before 224 00:14:07,160 --> 00:14:10,440 Speaker 15: the funeral, so for the visitation, we all came in, 225 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:15,280 Speaker 15: but then Gil and Pierre took Chris in by himself first, 226 00:14:15,360 --> 00:14:17,800 Speaker 15: and I remember that because I was standing right by 227 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:20,440 Speaker 15: the door watching him go in, and he was still 228 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:24,200 Speaker 15: walking with a cane because of his leg injury, and 229 00:14:25,120 --> 00:14:27,760 Speaker 15: he walked in with him and then as soon as 230 00:14:27,760 --> 00:14:32,000 Speaker 15: he got in the door he crumpled. I remember because 231 00:14:32,040 --> 00:14:34,800 Speaker 15: Pierre had to kind of hold him up and get 232 00:14:34,880 --> 00:14:38,160 Speaker 15: him into his seat. There was a room designated in 233 00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:42,960 Speaker 15: the back so we could get out of the crowd essentially, 234 00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:47,840 Speaker 15: and he pretty much stayed in there the whole time. 235 00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:53,320 Speaker 15: And looking back now, I can see how that probably looked. 236 00:14:55,120 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 15: But he was not fit for greeting people. He just 237 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:04,440 Speaker 15: was not in any kind of shape to be interacting 238 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:05,400 Speaker 15: with people. 239 00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:07,280 Speaker 5: Can you expand upon that? 240 00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:13,200 Speaker 15: I mean the greeting area where we were supposed to 241 00:15:13,240 --> 00:15:16,000 Speaker 15: be to greet people that were coming in to see us, 242 00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:20,760 Speaker 15: was literally right in front of their coffins. So he 243 00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:23,440 Speaker 15: was expected to either sit or stand in front of 244 00:15:23,480 --> 00:15:31,760 Speaker 15: his family open casket and talk to people. He was 245 00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:35,800 Speaker 15: not While he was in that room, he was not 246 00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:40,560 Speaker 15: saying words that made sense. Like he was broken essentially, 247 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:45,920 Speaker 15: And once they got him out he was able to 248 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:50,400 Speaker 15: kind of collect himself. Chris could not go back in 249 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:51,360 Speaker 15: that room again. 250 00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:57,800 Speaker 1: And the next day was the funeral. It was already 251 00:15:57,920 --> 00:16:02,440 Speaker 1: an emotionally daunting event for both families, but for the Vonds, 252 00:16:02,760 --> 00:16:05,640 Speaker 1: it was about to get a lot worse. Here's Pierre. 253 00:16:06,240 --> 00:16:06,880 Speaker 2: The day of the. 254 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:10,480 Speaker 6: Funeral, Chris knew something was up, but he wasn't talking 255 00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:12,880 Speaker 6: to us because the police told him not to and 256 00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:18,720 Speaker 6: he was protecting us. But in the meantime, he went 257 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:23,840 Speaker 6: through paperwork and he found a life insurance policy, he 258 00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:27,040 Speaker 6: signed a title over on his jeep to us, and 259 00:16:27,120 --> 00:16:32,040 Speaker 6: he was doing other things, and you know, and I said, Chris, 260 00:16:32,040 --> 00:16:35,520 Speaker 6: why are you doing all this? And he says, Daddy says, 261 00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:37,400 Speaker 6: he says, I got to feeling there out to get me. 262 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:40,720 Speaker 6: And you know, that way things were protected. 263 00:16:53,880 --> 00:16:57,560 Speaker 1: As mourners arrived for the funeral, the Vaughn family sent 264 00:16:57,800 --> 00:17:02,880 Speaker 1: something was deeply a mess. Here's Gail's younger sister, Rose. 265 00:17:04,040 --> 00:17:08,360 Speaker 12: Felt like something was going on that day. There was 266 00:17:08,520 --> 00:17:12,439 Speaker 12: just a lot of tension in the air with the 267 00:17:12,480 --> 00:17:16,880 Speaker 12: people that worked there and everything. And I remember our 268 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:22,160 Speaker 12: family being sequestered into a big room until we couldn't move, 269 00:17:22,280 --> 00:17:28,439 Speaker 12: We couldn't leave. We were put in that room. And Chris, 270 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:31,399 Speaker 12: I believe they told him he needed to check on 271 00:17:31,480 --> 00:17:32,080 Speaker 12: her rings. 272 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:40,000 Speaker 6: Here's Pierre, the funeral director person was there. And the 273 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:46,760 Speaker 6: big deal was that the Phillips family wanted all her jewelry. 274 00:17:48,040 --> 00:17:49,679 Speaker 6: They came, you know that she was supposed to be 275 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:51,359 Speaker 6: buried with, but they didn't want her to be buried 276 00:17:51,359 --> 00:17:54,440 Speaker 6: with it. They wanted they wanted to take it home 277 00:17:54,480 --> 00:17:54,800 Speaker 6: with them. 278 00:17:56,920 --> 00:17:57,879 Speaker 2: She said that. 279 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:04,680 Speaker 6: We had go downstairs to sign the papers. 280 00:18:04,200 --> 00:18:07,720 Speaker 3: For the jewelry, which struck me. 281 00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:12,119 Speaker 6: His ode and everything like that. So we walked downstairs. 282 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:14,240 Speaker 2: And she only wanted Chris to go down and Pure 283 00:18:14,760 --> 00:18:15,360 Speaker 2: went with him. 284 00:18:15,359 --> 00:18:18,399 Speaker 6: Anyway. She let us downstairs and walked in there like 285 00:18:18,440 --> 00:18:21,520 Speaker 6: a conference room down there, and when we opened the door, 286 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:26,480 Speaker 6: there was fourteen different policemen standing there and they immediately 287 00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:31,000 Speaker 6: handcuffed him and writing his rights and telling him his 288 00:18:31,359 --> 00:18:34,560 Speaker 6: being arrested for the murder of his family. And I 289 00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:38,760 Speaker 6: was totally in shock. They had to have Saint Charles 290 00:18:38,800 --> 00:18:42,680 Speaker 6: County police arrest him. This Illinois State police were there 291 00:18:43,520 --> 00:18:46,879 Speaker 6: and Chris just back over his shoulder at me as 292 00:18:46,920 --> 00:18:51,040 Speaker 6: they were walking him out, and he just had a 293 00:18:51,080 --> 00:18:52,200 Speaker 6: look of shock on his face. 294 00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:54,520 Speaker 15: He didn't say anything, and. 295 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:57,520 Speaker 6: I told him just hang in there. We'll get this 296 00:18:57,560 --> 00:18:59,320 Speaker 6: taken care of. And then I had to walk back 297 00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:01,880 Speaker 6: upstairs and talked to my family. 298 00:19:03,680 --> 00:19:04,680 Speaker 1: Here's Rachel Vaughan. 299 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:12,159 Speaker 15: Pierre came back in. I will never forget this moment 300 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:15,560 Speaker 15: as long as I live. He went up to Gail 301 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:19,320 Speaker 15: and put his hands on her arm and he said, 302 00:19:21,080 --> 00:19:26,920 Speaker 15: they just arrested Chris, and she just she had been 303 00:19:27,520 --> 00:19:32,200 Speaker 15: like a rock the whole time, and she fell apart 304 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:35,600 Speaker 15: and her first words were, but he didn't do it. 305 00:19:36,720 --> 00:19:38,399 Speaker 1: Here's Rachel's husband, Adam. 306 00:19:39,560 --> 00:19:42,040 Speaker 8: And then it became very apparent that there were no 307 00:19:42,119 --> 00:19:47,560 Speaker 8: Phillips family in the room with else and it quickly 308 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:54,240 Speaker 8: became obvious that the Phillips were part of those who 309 00:19:55,560 --> 00:19:57,919 Speaker 8: were supporting the police in their arrest. 310 00:19:58,840 --> 00:20:00,520 Speaker 1: Here's Chris's brother Eric. 311 00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:05,560 Speaker 10: They didn't even let him be there present when they 312 00:20:05,560 --> 00:20:06,080 Speaker 10: were buried. 313 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:13,719 Speaker 1: I can't imagine watching your sibling being taken away like that. 314 00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:17,520 Speaker 1: Under those circumstances. 315 00:20:16,560 --> 00:20:21,119 Speaker 10: It was very difficult just to even concentrate, yeah, to 316 00:20:21,240 --> 00:20:24,159 Speaker 10: do simple things. I mean, I was one of the 317 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:30,680 Speaker 10: pall bearers that was up front with him, and it 318 00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:36,400 Speaker 10: just felt not taking four people out, you know, from 319 00:20:36,400 --> 00:20:42,800 Speaker 10: one family. I looked like a little waterfall. Standing up there. Now. 320 00:20:42,800 --> 00:20:46,080 Speaker 10: Granted I wasn't the only one, and all the people 321 00:20:46,119 --> 00:20:49,240 Speaker 10: that were pall bearers were pretty much in the same boat. 322 00:20:50,320 --> 00:20:53,280 Speaker 1: Chris Vaughn was arrested at seven fifty am as he 323 00:20:53,359 --> 00:20:57,320 Speaker 1: prepared to bury his family afterwards. His brother and father 324 00:20:57,520 --> 00:21:01,000 Speaker 1: served as pall bearers. At the center of Chris's criminal 325 00:21:01,080 --> 00:21:05,440 Speaker 1: charges and the driving forces behind the funeral arrest were 326 00:21:05,440 --> 00:21:08,800 Speaker 1: the Illinois State Police and the Will County States Attorney 327 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:13,479 Speaker 1: James Glasgow. Here's Chris's initial defense investigator Bill Clutter. 328 00:21:14,160 --> 00:21:19,480 Speaker 11: This is a classic case of tunnel vision where Sergeant 329 00:21:19,880 --> 00:21:23,159 Speaker 11: Lawson locked in on his theory that he did it, 330 00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:27,679 Speaker 11: and everybody rallied behind him, including the state's attorney, and 331 00:21:28,680 --> 00:21:31,560 Speaker 11: you know, they were full steam ahead Ray Road and 332 00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:37,760 Speaker 11: Chris Vaughn without really conducting the type of investigation that 333 00:21:37,840 --> 00:21:41,080 Speaker 11: should have been done before you charge a citizen who 334 00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:45,919 Speaker 11: has the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. But in 335 00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:49,320 Speaker 11: this case, they just threw the constitution out the window 336 00:21:49,440 --> 00:21:52,720 Speaker 11: and just declared that he was he did it, and 337 00:21:53,080 --> 00:21:56,720 Speaker 11: we're going to fuck with him, and by arresting him, 338 00:21:56,800 --> 00:22:01,040 Speaker 11: depriving him of grieving for his family. The funeral was 339 00:22:01,520 --> 00:22:02,760 Speaker 11: one of those ways they did that. 340 00:22:03,680 --> 00:22:07,960 Speaker 1: You heard former Illinois State Police sergeant Gary Lawson interrogate 341 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:11,760 Speaker 1: Christopher Vaughan hours after his family was shot, still clad 342 00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:15,160 Speaker 1: in a hospital gown and bleeding. In our last episode, 343 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:18,600 Speaker 1: Lawson's testimony in front of a grand jury would be 344 00:22:18,840 --> 00:22:23,679 Speaker 1: key in securing Bond's indictment. We will revisit the significance 345 00:22:23,800 --> 00:22:27,480 Speaker 1: of that testimony later in much greater detail. 346 00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:32,000 Speaker 11: You look at the timeline from when this happened on 347 00:22:32,359 --> 00:22:37,480 Speaker 11: Thursday morning, June fourteenth, and in about a week's time 348 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:43,239 Speaker 11: they had already secured his arrest. The obvious thing is 349 00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:49,480 Speaker 11: that it was just another way of inflicting punishment on 350 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:53,600 Speaker 11: a person that they presumed was guilty and never gave 351 00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:57,560 Speaker 11: the benefit of the presumption of innocence, which is supposed 352 00:22:57,600 --> 00:23:01,119 Speaker 11: to be ingrained in the constitution that w sists and has. 353 00:23:01,720 --> 00:23:04,320 Speaker 11: But in this case, they jumped to the conclusion that 354 00:23:04,400 --> 00:23:06,240 Speaker 11: he did it from day one. 355 00:23:06,240 --> 00:23:09,320 Speaker 1: And actually the decision to arrest him the morning of 356 00:23:09,359 --> 00:23:15,479 Speaker 1: his family's funeral ends up making Vaughn look worse. In 357 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:18,960 Speaker 1: other words, it makes it look like he's one hundred 358 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:23,000 Speaker 1: percent guilty if you're going to arrest him at the funeral, 359 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:23,679 Speaker 1: of his family. 360 00:23:24,160 --> 00:23:27,240 Speaker 11: Well, yeah, that certainly came across in the. 361 00:23:27,200 --> 00:23:30,359 Speaker 1: Media, and this is the moment that locked in the 362 00:23:30,400 --> 00:23:33,840 Speaker 1: new reality for Chris and his family. They were no 363 00:23:33,960 --> 00:23:37,200 Speaker 1: longer just a family grieving a loss. They were now 364 00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:40,800 Speaker 1: a family fighting for their son, and they were increasingly 365 00:23:40,840 --> 00:23:42,560 Speaker 1: alone in that effort. 366 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:45,919 Speaker 2: After that, the world just became a blurb. This couldn't 367 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:50,280 Speaker 2: be happening. We knew Chris didn't do it, but it 368 00:23:50,800 --> 00:23:53,760 Speaker 2: fell on death airs. I so wanted to make a fuss, 369 00:23:54,040 --> 00:23:59,560 Speaker 2: but because I believed in law, I did what I 370 00:23:59,640 --> 00:24:03,160 Speaker 2: was told. It was like a never ending dream, getting 371 00:24:03,240 --> 00:24:10,320 Speaker 2: worse by the minute, and I couldn't wake up. I mean, 372 00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:15,119 Speaker 2: my grandchildren were dead, my daughter in law was ted. 373 00:24:16,320 --> 00:24:19,920 Speaker 2: My son was just arrested and accused of being a murderer, 374 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:25,440 Speaker 2: later convicted. And I know he didn't do it. He 375 00:24:25,520 --> 00:24:29,040 Speaker 2: was innocent and in pain from his loss, and nobody 376 00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:30,040 Speaker 2: cared about him. 377 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:34,680 Speaker 1: It was devastating for the Vaughns. While Kim's family probably 378 00:24:34,720 --> 00:24:38,920 Speaker 1: had a different perspective. They likely felt Chris's arrest dispelled 379 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:41,959 Speaker 1: any speculation that their daughter could have played an active 380 00:24:42,040 --> 00:24:46,000 Speaker 1: role in the tragedy, but Chris's family felt bundled into 381 00:24:46,000 --> 00:24:50,400 Speaker 1: the accusation by association. Here again is Rachel Vaughan. 382 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:58,719 Speaker 15: It was cruel because, regardless of anything else, there were 383 00:24:58,720 --> 00:25:01,200 Speaker 15: two things. First he was that was to be presumed innocent, 384 00:25:02,040 --> 00:25:05,840 Speaker 15: and someone presumed innocent should have the opportunity to attend 385 00:25:05,920 --> 00:25:13,359 Speaker 15: his children's funeral. If that cannot be the case, regardless 386 00:25:13,359 --> 00:25:17,120 Speaker 15: of what he did or did not do, his parents 387 00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:25,199 Speaker 15: still lost their grandchildren and their daughter in law, but 388 00:25:25,280 --> 00:25:30,160 Speaker 15: they were robbed of the opportunity to grieve them because 389 00:25:31,359 --> 00:25:34,600 Speaker 15: they just took him all at once. And in that moment, 390 00:25:34,640 --> 00:25:36,760 Speaker 15: we were so shocked by what was happening with Chris. 391 00:25:38,359 --> 00:25:44,760 Speaker 15: The actual burial and everything was a blur. And I 392 00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:50,760 Speaker 15: understand that Kim's family believes that he is guilty. I 393 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:54,720 Speaker 15: get that. I cannot imagine what that is like to 394 00:25:54,840 --> 00:25:58,080 Speaker 15: feel that a man that you led into your home 395 00:25:58,760 --> 00:26:02,879 Speaker 15: took your daughter from you. I understand that. But what 396 00:26:03,080 --> 00:26:08,800 Speaker 15: happened was right after we found out, the woman from 397 00:26:09,160 --> 00:26:12,240 Speaker 15: the funeral home went out and notified the Phillips, who 398 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:17,520 Speaker 15: were standing right outside our window, and they were celebrating. 399 00:26:19,880 --> 00:26:22,840 Speaker 15: And I do not begrudge them the celebration because I 400 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:28,119 Speaker 15: understand from their perspective Kim was vindicated that their daughter 401 00:26:28,359 --> 00:26:30,760 Speaker 15: could not possibly have done this horrible thing. It must 402 00:26:30,800 --> 00:26:35,640 Speaker 15: be him, and I understand that. And whether or not 403 00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:38,480 Speaker 15: they knew that we could see them, it just was. 404 00:26:38,880 --> 00:26:43,960 Speaker 15: It was like a perfect storm of horrible for us. 405 00:26:45,320 --> 00:26:48,280 Speaker 15: They went in, they took all the front rows of 406 00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:53,000 Speaker 15: the area, so our family sat all in the back. 407 00:26:55,240 --> 00:27:00,879 Speaker 15: It just I think that was the worst part. Regardless 408 00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:04,639 Speaker 15: of what Chris did or did not do, the entire 409 00:27:04,840 --> 00:27:10,239 Speaker 15: family was lumped in with him. And to me, that 410 00:27:10,480 --> 00:27:17,480 Speaker 15: was the greatest tragedy of that day, that suddenly we 411 00:27:17,480 --> 00:27:23,120 Speaker 15: were no longer families of victims. We were the family 412 00:27:23,520 --> 00:27:27,800 Speaker 15: of a killer and should be treated as such. 413 00:27:49,160 --> 00:27:53,320 Speaker 1: Let's revisit the concept of the presumption of innocence, which 414 00:27:53,359 --> 00:27:57,560 Speaker 1: is crucial to ensuring individuals receive a fair trial and 415 00:27:57,720 --> 00:28:00,880 Speaker 1: is meant to protect the integrity of the justices as 416 00:28:00,920 --> 00:28:03,640 Speaker 1: well as the human dignity of people who are accused 417 00:28:03,680 --> 00:28:07,159 Speaker 1: of committing crimes. Here's private investigator Bill Clutter. 418 00:28:07,920 --> 00:28:13,640 Speaker 11: We have the constitutional protections because there was a time 419 00:28:13,680 --> 00:28:17,840 Speaker 11: when there was no presumption of innocence, going back to 420 00:28:17,880 --> 00:28:23,760 Speaker 11: the Salem witch trials, where there wasn't a lot of 421 00:28:23,800 --> 00:28:28,399 Speaker 11: protection against someone who may be falsely accused. 422 00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:33,119 Speaker 1: Where you were guilty until proven innocent. 423 00:28:33,240 --> 00:28:35,320 Speaker 11: Right until you can prove your innocence. 424 00:28:35,400 --> 00:28:40,880 Speaker 1: Right after Chris's arrest, Kimberly's family allegedly removed anything they 425 00:28:40,920 --> 00:28:44,000 Speaker 1: considered to be of value from the Swego family home. 426 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:47,280 Speaker 1: The Vaughan family began the process of cleaning out the 427 00:28:47,360 --> 00:28:52,000 Speaker 1: house for very different reasons. Rose Chris's aunt was there 428 00:28:52,040 --> 00:28:52,440 Speaker 1: to help. 429 00:28:52,920 --> 00:28:57,160 Speaker 12: I have notes of everything, but I saw feelings, emotions. 430 00:28:58,320 --> 00:29:03,200 Speaker 12: It's pretty crazy that Like that was surreal too. 431 00:29:04,120 --> 00:29:04,640 Speaker 2: It was. 432 00:29:07,560 --> 00:29:10,760 Speaker 12: Didn't really to get through it. You couldn't have an emotion. 433 00:29:13,640 --> 00:29:17,400 Speaker 12: You just systematically started on one side of the house 434 00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:20,560 Speaker 12: and boxed stuff up, got rid of things that had 435 00:29:20,640 --> 00:29:25,160 Speaker 12: names and baits on it so people wouldn't go through 436 00:29:25,200 --> 00:29:31,280 Speaker 12: the dumpster and try and make money on it. It 437 00:29:31,360 --> 00:29:32,160 Speaker 12: was sad. 438 00:29:33,200 --> 00:29:36,320 Speaker 1: Even in their state of grief and anger and defensiveness, 439 00:29:36,800 --> 00:29:39,840 Speaker 1: the Vaughan family was still trying to shield and protect 440 00:29:40,040 --> 00:29:43,240 Speaker 1: the memories and privacy of their loved ones from the 441 00:29:43,280 --> 00:29:48,240 Speaker 1: relentless and prying nature of the tabloid mentality that continued 442 00:29:48,280 --> 00:29:49,640 Speaker 1: to swirl around the tragedy. 443 00:29:50,520 --> 00:29:52,800 Speaker 12: When we were cleaning the house out, there was a 444 00:29:52,840 --> 00:29:56,720 Speaker 12: little girl that knocked on their front door. We answered it, 445 00:29:57,200 --> 00:30:02,680 Speaker 12: and she introduced herself as Abbie's friend, and she said 446 00:30:02,680 --> 00:30:06,520 Speaker 12: that Abby was a good drawer, and she asked if 447 00:30:06,560 --> 00:30:11,080 Speaker 12: she could have a sketchbook or pictures that Abby had drawn. 448 00:30:11,920 --> 00:30:14,960 Speaker 12: So my sister said sure, and so she gave her 449 00:30:16,120 --> 00:30:19,200 Speaker 12: some pictures. Not more than a few minutes later, another 450 00:30:19,280 --> 00:30:21,560 Speaker 12: room knock at the door, so there was another little 451 00:30:21,560 --> 00:30:24,920 Speaker 12: girl with the first little girl, and she also asked 452 00:30:25,240 --> 00:30:30,800 Speaker 12: for some pictures that Abby had drawn, and so Gail 453 00:30:30,840 --> 00:30:33,360 Speaker 12: said sure, and she went and got some more. Well, 454 00:30:33,360 --> 00:30:37,640 Speaker 12: the girls were talking with us, and what the girls 455 00:30:37,640 --> 00:30:40,640 Speaker 12: had said was that they were allowed to come and 456 00:30:40,680 --> 00:30:43,040 Speaker 12: play on the front porch the area in front of 457 00:30:43,080 --> 00:30:45,520 Speaker 12: the house, but they were never allowed in the house. 458 00:30:46,720 --> 00:30:48,880 Speaker 12: Even if they had to use the restroom, they had 459 00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:52,400 Speaker 12: to go back home, which isn't that far, but still 460 00:30:52,440 --> 00:30:57,920 Speaker 12: inconvenient for a little person that has to use the restroom. 461 00:30:58,120 --> 00:31:01,560 Speaker 12: And then the little girl said that she was supposed 462 00:31:01,600 --> 00:31:05,160 Speaker 12: to have a sleepover, but when she came to the 463 00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:08,760 Speaker 12: door with her stuff, she was told that it was 464 00:31:08,800 --> 00:31:17,880 Speaker 12: canceled by who Kimberly, So there's another side that we're 465 00:31:17,920 --> 00:31:24,800 Speaker 12: not seeing, and that really stuck out because these little 466 00:31:24,800 --> 00:31:29,160 Speaker 12: girls were so sweet, and that kind of also talks 467 00:31:29,200 --> 00:31:30,800 Speaker 12: to the situation at hand. 468 00:31:32,040 --> 00:31:34,720 Speaker 1: And it was in this innocent and revealing moment with 469 00:31:34,800 --> 00:31:39,320 Speaker 1: her granddaughter's friends that Gail began to understand there was 470 00:31:39,600 --> 00:31:43,320 Speaker 1: likely more to Kim's behavior than anyone outside of the 471 00:31:43,320 --> 00:31:44,960 Speaker 1: household really understood. 472 00:31:46,080 --> 00:31:50,840 Speaker 2: Yes, and there was two little girls, and we invited 473 00:31:50,880 --> 00:31:55,560 Speaker 2: them in, and we went into ADDIE's room and I 474 00:31:55,720 --> 00:32:00,000 Speaker 2: asked him, is there something small here from ADDIE's room 475 00:32:00,360 --> 00:32:05,800 Speaker 2: that you would like to remember her by? And she 476 00:32:05,880 --> 00:32:08,280 Speaker 2: looked for a long time, and they found something very 477 00:32:08,320 --> 00:32:13,960 Speaker 2: small and they're just very tiny at the moment, I 478 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:19,000 Speaker 2: can't remember what it was, but they said thank you. 479 00:32:19,480 --> 00:32:21,840 Speaker 2: Because actually it was the first time they'd been in 480 00:32:21,920 --> 00:32:28,640 Speaker 2: the house. Kimberly really didn't allow kids in her house. 481 00:32:30,360 --> 00:32:34,320 Speaker 2: It was okay to let Babby, Sandy and Blake go 482 00:32:34,360 --> 00:32:37,880 Speaker 2: and play in other houses, but Kimberly just didn't. I'm 483 00:32:37,920 --> 00:32:41,520 Speaker 2: not sure why, but this was the first time these 484 00:32:41,560 --> 00:32:43,640 Speaker 2: two little girls had ever been in the house. 485 00:32:45,360 --> 00:32:47,640 Speaker 5: And they said that they were her best friends. 486 00:32:48,000 --> 00:32:52,440 Speaker 2: They were her best friends. Yes, they came. We gave 487 00:32:52,480 --> 00:32:56,880 Speaker 2: them something and they left, and probably an hour later, 488 00:32:57,080 --> 00:32:59,440 Speaker 2: maybe an hour and a half, they came back, and 489 00:32:59,480 --> 00:33:04,040 Speaker 2: what they didn't done was the picture that they had 490 00:33:04,080 --> 00:33:07,760 Speaker 2: taken with him that Abby drew. They had put in 491 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:10,120 Speaker 2: a little frame and gave it back to us to 492 00:33:10,440 --> 00:33:20,400 Speaker 2: remember Abbie. That's so sweet and they were just so 493 00:33:20,600 --> 00:33:23,760 Speaker 2: sad it just could happen to their friend. 494 00:33:24,720 --> 00:33:28,640 Speaker 1: There was another neighborhood playmate who wasn't with those two girls. 495 00:33:29,040 --> 00:33:31,520 Speaker 1: She would later write a letter, which Gaila saved to 496 00:33:31,560 --> 00:33:35,560 Speaker 1: this day, asking to also receive anything to remember Abby. 497 00:33:36,040 --> 00:33:39,080 Speaker 1: Her name is Alexa, and we were able to connect 498 00:33:39,120 --> 00:33:41,920 Speaker 1: to discuss her memories of Abby and the tragedy. 499 00:33:42,520 --> 00:33:44,880 Speaker 3: Oh, I have so many. 500 00:33:45,040 --> 00:33:50,200 Speaker 16: When she came over, she drew me once and I 501 00:33:50,200 --> 00:33:52,480 Speaker 16: remember her telling me like, please don't be mad at me. 502 00:33:52,760 --> 00:33:55,480 Speaker 3: I'm not the best drawer. I think you're beautiful. 503 00:33:56,000 --> 00:33:57,560 Speaker 16: And that was the first time I ever heard of 504 00:33:57,600 --> 00:33:59,640 Speaker 16: anyone besides my parents call me. 505 00:33:59,600 --> 00:34:01,480 Speaker 3: Beautiful, And I'm like, who are you? 506 00:34:02,200 --> 00:34:02,280 Speaker 13: Like? 507 00:34:02,800 --> 00:34:05,440 Speaker 3: You are so mature. You are somebody that I will 508 00:34:05,440 --> 00:34:06,880 Speaker 3: have in my life forever. 509 00:34:09,040 --> 00:34:09,239 Speaker 2: Yeah. 510 00:34:09,239 --> 00:34:11,560 Speaker 3: I wish she was still around, but I know that 511 00:34:11,760 --> 00:34:13,200 Speaker 3: she's with me every day. 512 00:34:14,080 --> 00:34:16,520 Speaker 1: Did she ever talk to you about her parents, particularly 513 00:34:17,520 --> 00:34:18,239 Speaker 1: mom or dad? 514 00:34:19,719 --> 00:34:22,680 Speaker 3: Not really, not from what I can remember, Like thinking 515 00:34:22,680 --> 00:34:23,080 Speaker 3: about it. 516 00:34:23,080 --> 00:34:26,040 Speaker 16: I kind of felt like she was trying to escape something, 517 00:34:28,120 --> 00:34:30,440 Speaker 16: if that makes sense, because whenever we would talk about 518 00:34:30,480 --> 00:34:32,960 Speaker 16: family or I would ask a question, it would be 519 00:34:33,080 --> 00:34:35,480 Speaker 16: kind of like a broad answer, or she would kind 520 00:34:35,520 --> 00:34:36,520 Speaker 16: of change the subject. 521 00:34:37,480 --> 00:34:41,440 Speaker 1: You mentioned that there was a conversation on the bus 522 00:34:41,480 --> 00:34:45,560 Speaker 1: one day. Can you remember what it was about or 523 00:34:45,800 --> 00:34:47,319 Speaker 1: why that comment sticks out? 524 00:34:48,000 --> 00:34:50,200 Speaker 3: I was probably arguing with my younger brother. 525 00:34:50,360 --> 00:34:53,880 Speaker 16: We definitely butt heads a lot, and I was telling her, 526 00:34:53,920 --> 00:34:55,520 Speaker 16: I'm like, you know, I wish I had a perfect 527 00:34:55,560 --> 00:34:57,680 Speaker 16: family like yours, and she was telling me, you know, 528 00:34:58,280 --> 00:35:01,759 Speaker 16: not everything is what it's me And when I kind 529 00:35:01,760 --> 00:35:03,879 Speaker 16: of asked her to elaborate, then it. 530 00:35:03,800 --> 00:35:06,080 Speaker 17: Was like, no, it's nothing too crazy. I'm just saying, 531 00:35:06,120 --> 00:35:09,640 Speaker 17: you know, no one's perfect. Everybody has their problems and 532 00:35:09,680 --> 00:35:11,680 Speaker 17: their issues. And then we would kind of move on 533 00:35:11,800 --> 00:35:13,799 Speaker 17: and kind of go past it. 534 00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:19,000 Speaker 1: Can you just tell me about why? And when you 535 00:35:19,080 --> 00:35:21,240 Speaker 1: reached out to Gail Vaughan. 536 00:35:23,320 --> 00:35:26,720 Speaker 3: Everything happened and I felt alone. 537 00:35:27,000 --> 00:35:31,760 Speaker 16: I felt like my person was snatched away from me, and. 538 00:35:33,600 --> 00:35:35,879 Speaker 3: I was really angry for a period. 539 00:35:35,520 --> 00:35:37,400 Speaker 16: Of time, and then I kind of had an epiphany 540 00:35:37,440 --> 00:35:40,319 Speaker 16: and I was like, how selfish of me to be 541 00:35:40,480 --> 00:35:46,000 Speaker 16: angry when there are people like missus Vaughn who lost 542 00:35:47,160 --> 00:35:48,480 Speaker 16: all of her grandchildren. 543 00:35:49,120 --> 00:35:52,120 Speaker 3: You know, I couldn't even imagine how she feels. 544 00:35:52,400 --> 00:35:55,640 Speaker 16: So I remember my mom, I asked her if she 545 00:35:55,640 --> 00:35:58,640 Speaker 16: could help me, and writing a letter because I didn't 546 00:35:58,640 --> 00:36:02,280 Speaker 16: want to sound selfish, and some of her belongings as well, 547 00:36:02,600 --> 00:36:06,000 Speaker 16: so I didn't have anything to remember her by. Miss 548 00:36:06,120 --> 00:36:08,759 Speaker 16: Gail came to our house, but I don't think we 549 00:36:08,760 --> 00:36:12,600 Speaker 16: were home, and I remember coming home to just a 550 00:36:12,640 --> 00:36:14,920 Speaker 16: small box of a few things and a letter that 551 00:36:14,960 --> 00:36:18,360 Speaker 16: she wrote back to me. There's this like a little 552 00:36:18,480 --> 00:36:23,040 Speaker 16: statue of blonde girl that looks like Abby on a unicorn. 553 00:36:23,280 --> 00:36:25,640 Speaker 3: It's still on my vanity fourteen years later. 554 00:36:26,320 --> 00:36:29,120 Speaker 16: And another picture that she gave me that I keep 555 00:36:29,400 --> 00:36:30,880 Speaker 16: in my desk in a drawer. 556 00:36:31,560 --> 00:36:35,720 Speaker 1: Connections like these are what sustained Gail during this tragic time. 557 00:36:36,200 --> 00:36:39,160 Speaker 1: But not everything was good. As they continued to go 558 00:36:39,239 --> 00:36:43,239 Speaker 1: through the house, they discovered something rather upsetting and more 559 00:36:43,280 --> 00:36:45,200 Speaker 1: than a bit odd. Here's rose. 560 00:36:45,800 --> 00:36:51,120 Speaker 12: When we were cleaning out the closet, there were wrapped packages. 561 00:36:51,200 --> 00:36:54,760 Speaker 12: I don't know if they were birthday Christmas what they were. 562 00:36:55,960 --> 00:36:59,280 Speaker 12: When we my sister looked at them, she said those 563 00:36:59,320 --> 00:37:04,680 Speaker 12: are things that I sent the kids, meaning Sandy, Abby 564 00:37:04,719 --> 00:37:08,840 Speaker 12: and Blake and and it had their names on it, 565 00:37:08,920 --> 00:37:13,879 Speaker 12: and they weren't opened. They were wrapped and the one 566 00:37:13,960 --> 00:37:19,080 Speaker 12: tag had on it that for Christopher to build this 567 00:37:19,200 --> 00:37:22,440 Speaker 12: with Blake and then make one for himself. And I 568 00:37:22,520 --> 00:37:25,440 Speaker 12: believe it was like a bals of wood airplane, something 569 00:37:25,600 --> 00:37:26,520 Speaker 12: they could do together. 570 00:37:28,800 --> 00:37:31,080 Speaker 5: And there was more than just one or two. There 571 00:37:31,160 --> 00:37:32,600 Speaker 5: was like four or five six. 572 00:37:32,920 --> 00:37:36,759 Speaker 12: Different packages in the two different closets that were downstairs. 573 00:37:38,160 --> 00:37:44,719 Speaker 12: And when my sister saw it, it was hurtful for her, 574 00:37:44,840 --> 00:37:50,200 Speaker 12: but seeing her face because there's nothing she wouldn't do 575 00:37:50,239 --> 00:37:51,279 Speaker 12: for those kids. 576 00:37:52,320 --> 00:37:52,879 Speaker 5: Here's Gail. 577 00:37:53,480 --> 00:37:56,239 Speaker 2: They were gifts that we had given the kids, but 578 00:37:56,760 --> 00:38:03,840 Speaker 2: they had never been delivered. Also, when we were going 579 00:38:03,880 --> 00:38:06,239 Speaker 2: through the file cabinet in the basement, there was a 580 00:38:06,280 --> 00:38:09,760 Speaker 2: bunch of birthday cards we had sent to the children 581 00:38:11,239 --> 00:38:14,040 Speaker 2: and they had never been opened. They still had five 582 00:38:14,080 --> 00:38:16,920 Speaker 2: dollars in them, because that's usually what I sent, five 583 00:38:16,960 --> 00:38:20,000 Speaker 2: dollars because you don't know what the child wants. So 584 00:38:20,160 --> 00:38:22,160 Speaker 2: when the kids would come and spend a week or 585 00:38:22,600 --> 00:38:26,080 Speaker 2: a couple of days, probably a couple of days, I 586 00:38:26,160 --> 00:38:29,560 Speaker 2: would take a bunch of pictures and I'd put them 587 00:38:29,560 --> 00:38:32,200 Speaker 2: together in a small little album and I'd give it 588 00:38:32,280 --> 00:38:36,879 Speaker 2: to them so they can remember their trip. These were 589 00:38:36,920 --> 00:38:40,560 Speaker 2: up There also pictures that I had sent home with 590 00:38:40,600 --> 00:38:47,560 Speaker 2: the kids. I was just, wow, what do you say? 591 00:38:48,400 --> 00:38:49,919 Speaker 5: You must have been heartbroken. 592 00:38:51,480 --> 00:38:56,000 Speaker 2: I was that the kids didn't realize that we had 593 00:38:56,040 --> 00:38:59,560 Speaker 2: given them and we had thought about them, We had 594 00:38:59,560 --> 00:39:03,680 Speaker 2: sent them cards, and they'd never received them. They never 595 00:39:03,760 --> 00:39:09,560 Speaker 2: knew we cared unless we were right there and talk 596 00:39:09,680 --> 00:39:10,960 Speaker 2: to them and did stuff. 597 00:39:11,880 --> 00:39:13,040 Speaker 5: Why would someone do that? 598 00:39:13,200 --> 00:39:18,040 Speaker 1: Why would someone keep Christmas and Birthday presents and cards 599 00:39:18,080 --> 00:39:21,839 Speaker 1: from children from their grandparents. 600 00:39:22,280 --> 00:39:24,719 Speaker 2: That's a question I would like to had answer for, 601 00:39:24,880 --> 00:39:28,480 Speaker 2: because I don't know. We rose and I just looked 602 00:39:28,480 --> 00:39:30,600 Speaker 2: at that, and we looked at each other and it 603 00:39:30,960 --> 00:39:35,400 Speaker 2: was just unbelievable. I did ask Chris about that, and 604 00:39:35,400 --> 00:39:37,880 Speaker 2: he says, I don't know what's in the closets, like 605 00:39:37,920 --> 00:39:41,000 Speaker 2: a typical meal, you know, unless he wants something, he 606 00:39:41,040 --> 00:39:45,640 Speaker 2: doesn't really look in closet. There was many things I 607 00:39:45,719 --> 00:39:48,880 Speaker 2: personally didn't like about Kim, but you know what, my 608 00:39:49,000 --> 00:39:52,719 Speaker 2: son adored her, And what can you say about that? 609 00:39:54,440 --> 00:39:55,960 Speaker 2: Love doesn't know a boundary. 610 00:39:57,280 --> 00:40:00,520 Speaker 1: To get greater insight into whether the comp the skating 611 00:40:00,520 --> 00:40:04,239 Speaker 1: of presents and cards is unusual and or significant. I 612 00:40:04,360 --> 00:40:07,600 Speaker 1: reached out to doctor James Fallen. In addition to being 613 00:40:07,600 --> 00:40:11,520 Speaker 1: a neuroscientist, Fallin as Professor of psychiatry and Human Behavior 614 00:40:11,920 --> 00:40:16,280 Speaker 1: and emeritus Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology in the University 615 00:40:16,320 --> 00:40:20,719 Speaker 1: of California, Irvine School of Medicine. Upon review of the materials, 616 00:40:21,000 --> 00:40:24,279 Speaker 1: he flagged the fact that the two medications prescribed for 617 00:40:24,400 --> 00:40:29,120 Speaker 1: Kimberly's anxiety and migraines were also used to treat bipolar disorder, 618 00:40:29,560 --> 00:40:32,760 Speaker 1: a condition associated with episodes of mood swings. 619 00:40:33,160 --> 00:40:38,000 Speaker 14: She was using a SSRI select of serotonin reuptake inhibitor, 620 00:40:38,280 --> 00:40:41,040 Speaker 14: which keeps the serotonin from being taken back up into 621 00:40:41,560 --> 00:40:43,840 Speaker 14: the cell body so it stays out in the synapses. 622 00:40:43,840 --> 00:40:46,719 Speaker 14: And so the way of keeping serotonin out in the 623 00:40:46,760 --> 00:40:50,480 Speaker 14: synaptic space longer, so it can have an effect. And 624 00:40:50,560 --> 00:40:54,239 Speaker 14: so she was taken SSRI. What I originally heard was 625 00:40:54,360 --> 00:40:56,719 Speaker 14: she was taking for migraine and for anxiety, but it's 626 00:40:56,880 --> 00:41:00,239 Speaker 14: used to treat bipolar disorder of both the main and 627 00:41:00,320 --> 00:41:04,760 Speaker 14: the depression. That's one thing. But also she was taking 628 00:41:04,800 --> 00:41:09,120 Speaker 14: topo max, so the topo max added to the SSRI. 629 00:41:10,160 --> 00:41:13,840 Speaker 14: This can induce you know, suicidal thoughts and actions definitely, 630 00:41:14,120 --> 00:41:16,759 Speaker 14: and it can actually make depression worse. So instead of 631 00:41:16,800 --> 00:41:21,400 Speaker 14: fixing the depression, so these two can interact. Okay, the 632 00:41:21,440 --> 00:41:26,000 Speaker 14: SSRI and topomax can interact to produce a very pretty 633 00:41:26,040 --> 00:41:26,920 Speaker 14: dire situation. 634 00:41:27,560 --> 00:41:30,359 Speaker 1: He also found the unopened gifts telling. 635 00:41:31,080 --> 00:41:33,360 Speaker 14: Who sequestered them and hid them. 636 00:41:33,680 --> 00:41:35,359 Speaker 1: Apparently Kimberly Vaughn. 637 00:41:36,200 --> 00:41:40,239 Speaker 18: Oh boy, she had also done that with all the 638 00:41:40,280 --> 00:41:44,640 Speaker 18: birthday cards and holiday cards. They were in a folder, unopened, 639 00:41:44,880 --> 00:41:47,279 Speaker 18: with the five dollar bills that she had been sent 640 00:41:47,360 --> 00:41:51,680 Speaker 18: for the kids still inside, so she knew what she 641 00:41:51,800 --> 00:41:52,200 Speaker 18: was doing. 642 00:41:52,880 --> 00:41:55,640 Speaker 14: This was a setup for something, right, I mean, she's 643 00:41:55,960 --> 00:41:59,160 Speaker 14: or just to drive him crazy or them crazy, or 644 00:41:59,200 --> 00:42:01,319 Speaker 14: just to be manipulated. Do we know if she had 645 00:42:01,360 --> 00:42:05,400 Speaker 14: bipolar but bipolars, it's not unusual for them to be 646 00:42:05,600 --> 00:42:08,520 Speaker 14: very cruel. I mean that just you may not have 647 00:42:08,520 --> 00:42:09,479 Speaker 14: to go further than that. 648 00:42:11,120 --> 00:42:14,080 Speaker 1: What we do know is that during the trial, an 649 00:42:14,080 --> 00:42:18,200 Speaker 1: investigator with the Public Defender's Office read an email message 650 00:42:18,239 --> 00:42:21,440 Speaker 1: sent from Kimberly Vaughn to one of her classmates at 651 00:42:21,440 --> 00:42:26,240 Speaker 1: the University of Phoenix in online college. The classmate apparently 652 00:42:26,280 --> 00:42:30,799 Speaker 1: suffered from multiple sclerosis, and Kimberly told him of her 653 00:42:30,840 --> 00:42:35,040 Speaker 1: sister's struggles with the symptoms of the disease. Kimberly also 654 00:42:35,080 --> 00:42:40,040 Speaker 1: wrote about her sister's suffering from bipolar disorder. That could 655 00:42:40,080 --> 00:42:43,239 Speaker 1: be significant because numerous studies have found that people with 656 00:42:43,280 --> 00:42:47,480 Speaker 1: a parent or sibling with bipolar disorder have an increased 657 00:42:47,600 --> 00:42:52,960 Speaker 1: chance of developing the disorder themselves. We'll revisit Kimberly Vaughn's 658 00:42:53,000 --> 00:42:56,120 Speaker 1: behavior in the months leading up to the tragedy in 659 00:42:56,280 --> 00:43:02,760 Speaker 1: much greater detail later. Back to our timeline. Christopher Vaughan 660 00:43:03,040 --> 00:43:07,120 Speaker 1: was initially held in Missouri on one million dollar cash 661 00:43:07,200 --> 00:43:12,359 Speaker 1: bond while awaiting extradition to Illinois. Once he arrived in Illinois, 662 00:43:12,719 --> 00:43:17,640 Speaker 1: he was held without bond. Because of this, Chris would 663 00:43:17,640 --> 00:43:20,400 Speaker 1: sit in jail from the morning of his family's funeral 664 00:43:20,840 --> 00:43:24,759 Speaker 1: until his trial five years later. The state of Illinois 665 00:43:24,880 --> 00:43:28,480 Speaker 1: was planning to seek the death penalty, but with a 666 00:43:28,520 --> 00:43:32,879 Speaker 1: criminal investigation comes digging and then discovery, and what would 667 00:43:32,960 --> 00:43:36,640 Speaker 1: soon come out about Christopher Vaughan would make his already 668 00:43:36,719 --> 00:43:48,600 Speaker 1: challenging defense nearly impossible. On the next murder in Illinois, 669 00:43:49,040 --> 00:43:53,480 Speaker 1: Chris and Kimberley Vaughn's troubled marriage becomes tabloid fodder. 670 00:43:53,760 --> 00:43:55,920 Speaker 11: And he made two visits to a scrip club and 671 00:43:56,120 --> 00:44:01,880 Speaker 11: spent an enormous amount of money I think over four thousand. 672 00:44:01,520 --> 00:44:04,920 Speaker 1: Dollars, and Vaughan is betrayed as a man looking for 673 00:44:04,960 --> 00:44:07,320 Speaker 1: a way out of his marriage at any cost. 674 00:44:08,120 --> 00:44:11,440 Speaker 11: He had recently confided, or I should say, confessed to 675 00:44:11,480 --> 00:44:14,360 Speaker 11: her that he had had a relationship when he was 676 00:44:14,560 --> 00:44:16,080 Speaker 11: out of the country in Mexico. 677 00:44:17,960 --> 00:44:22,480 Speaker 1: Murdered Illinois is a production of iHeartRadio. Executive producers are 678 00:44:22,560 --> 00:44:26,480 Speaker 1: Lauren Bright Pacheco and Taylor Chacoine. Written by Lauren Bright 679 00:44:26,480 --> 00:44:30,920 Speaker 1: Pacheco and Matthew Riddle, Story editing by Matthew Riddle, editing 680 00:44:30,960 --> 00:44:34,760 Speaker 1: and sound design by Evan Tyre and Taylor Chackoine. Featuring 681 00:44:34,880 --> 00:44:39,000 Speaker 1: music by Cicada Rhythm, with new compositions engineered and mixed 682 00:44:39,040 --> 00:44:43,480 Speaker 1: by Evan Tyre and Taylor Chackoine. Archived news reports provided 683 00:44:43,600 --> 00:44:45,719 Speaker 1: by wgn ick You. 684 00:44:49,160 --> 00:44:51,360 Speaker 15: I'm dope and father right. 685 00:44:53,200 --> 00:44:55,360 Speaker 6: You are through the name. 686 00:44:56,680 --> 00:45:05,120 Speaker 19: I'll leave with them d hay hinste A dream Hello, Yes, 687 00:45:05,800 --> 00:45:07,040 Speaker 19: oh dream. 688 00:45:09,719 --> 00:45:12,320 Speaker 7: Stee you we are. 689 00:45:18,640 --> 00:45:24,320 Speaker 19: Dream Hello. 690 00:45:29,040 --> 00:45:32,840 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, check out the iHeartRadio, app, 691 00:45:33,000 --> 00:45:36,600 Speaker 1: Apple podcasts, or wherever you get the stories that matter 692 00:45:36,719 --> 00:45:36,960 Speaker 1: to you.