Once the hearing was under way, Glasgow came right to the point: the DNA resulted in an "absolute exclusion of Kevin Fox as a donor," the prosecutor told the judge. Many of them questioned the confession. The girl appeared "lifeless," and Kevin thought she was dead. "We didn't want to turn it into another JonBenet Ramsey case. The Rossi family had moved to Wilmington when Melissa was in the third grade. On Feb. 9, the Wilmington City Council held a special meeting at Wilmington High School. Rather than providing a running narrative, she says, Kevin often simply answered "yes" or "no" to the detectives' questions. When pressed, however, the boy seemed less sure. Meanwhile, the mystery of what happened to Riley Fox remains. . After a brief reunion with Melissa and Tyler, Kevin emerged from the jail with his arms raised in triumph and stood before a mob scene of cameras and well-wishers. They simply broke him down psychologically to a point where he believed that the only way he was going to get this nightmare to stop was to confess. "We think you were involved." Melissa Mack (right) with her husband Ryan and newborn baby Jett Myers Menu. Chad and Zellner viewed the change in office with a wary eye. The authorities have not mentioned the videotape in court, though they did bring it up during the interrogation before Kevin confessed. In a case that saw numerous twists and even a false arrest, justice was finally delivered when the perpetrator was caught and made to pay for his crimes. Disappearance [ edit] And he realized he needed to take responsibility for his child. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Check Background Get Contact . When he first noticed Riley missing, he did not want to worry unnecessarily. ", Kevin says that Swearengen suggested the same "accident" scenario that he had proposed to Melissa nearly nine hours earlier. You're put into a cramped room and subjected to an unusually long interrogation. On October 26th, Swearengen called Kevin Fox to say, by Kevin's account, that there was news about the case and that the Foxes should come to the police station that night. Mark M. Strothmann, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Wilmington, quoting Mark 10:14. "But I lost so much there. Kevin likes to keep his private life under wraps, and hence his present whereabouts are unclear. 3-year-old Riley Fox was found inside a creek a little distance away from her home in Wilmington, Illinois. Ke 11 Share Advertisement Read more on Chicago Sun-Times "What did he do when he left? He says the police told him he was right not to panic, that "in a lot of cases a child wanders off, and they can't find them at first." She adored her father. Wilmington, Illinois, just south of Joliet, stands amid the vast cornfields and high grass prairies of the Kankakee River valley, a little more than 50 miles southwest of Chicago. Why can't I see my husband!'" But he agreed with Zellner. Riley Fox story: '20/20' unveils new details in Wilmington girl's death Braidwood mayor charged with DUI after 3-car crash Victim ID'd in deadly crash on I-55 near Wilmington Chicago, IL: (Mar-21-08) The family of 3-year-old Riley Fox brought a wrongful death lawsuit against the Will County Sheriff's Department, after the death of the girl in 2004. Meanwhile, the members of Kevin's family hold firm to their unwavering belief in the man who they say became, like his murdered daughter, a victim. Among the questions the two men fielded were queries about whether politics influenced the timing of the interrogation. While much of his work there involved coverage of the Bush Administration as a member of . Subscribe to one or more of our free e-mail newsletters to get instant updates on local news, events, and opportunities in Chicago. "Isn't that your niece?" Finally, after more than an hour of interrogation, Pluth reaches for a box of tissues and thrusts it at Tyler. ", The town of Wilmington, struggling to heal, tends a small garden that honors Riley's memory. "The only way to guarantee that Kevin Fox would not be executed was to find DNA that excluded him with 100-percent certainty," she says. That morning in the Will County jail, Zellner watched the interaction between the two brothers closely. A statement by Kevin himself saying he had been tricked into confessing was posted on a Web site three days after the interrogation. Joyful Fox Danced Over DNA News; . When the FBI began its investigation in 2009, it was two years after a jury awarded Fox and his then-wife, Melissa Fox, $15.5 million for the Will County Sheriff's Office investigators' false. Chad Fox looked on the rumors as confirmation that Kevin-still not represented by a lawyer-was a suspect, perhaps the only suspect. But if Kevin was joking, the police apparently didn't get it. The lab had said the results would arrive around 6 p.m. For Chad, the fight to clear his kid brother's name became a crusade. I wanted to see if I could find anything in those pictures that would help me figure out for myself what had happened, who had done this to my baby. The detective surmised that Kevin had applied the duct tape and committed the sexual assault to make it look as if the little girl had been kidnapped. You don't need your father.'". The timing was less than ideal for the couple. "I don't think I've ever seen a more beautiful sight," he says. ", The couple, however, have moved out of Wilmington. "If I finish the sheet, you are being charged with first-degree murder with 30 years to life. As if the image wasn't terrible enough, he said, she had been "able to remove the duct tape from her wrists prior to succumbing to drowning in the water.". June 6, 2004: Kevin Fox of Wilmington reports his 3-year-old daughter, Riley, missing about 8 a.m. Hikers find her body about 3:30 p.m. in nearby creek after massive search. "Because I think to myself what Riley would be doing right now. She quickly became known around town as the precocious little girl who loved Dora the Explorer, the kind of child who insisted on picking out her own flower girl dress-only after plis and curtsies in front of a mirror. By now, hundreds of townsfolk were clawing through brush and woods. To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store. We hope he finds some comfort soon and would like to wish him all the happiness for the coming days. What neither Zellner nor Glasgow apparently realized was that the FBI had not tested Riley's DNA. Kenneth J. Heartwarming that Kevins wife, brother, family, and Ms. Zelner stood by his side. It's your turn to follow in my footsteps.". (The DNA was subsequently retested at a different laboratory, and the results again excluded Kevin.). More than 6,000 people attended the wake-nearly 1,000 more than the entire population of Wilmington. Set just off a playground around the corner from the house where she disappeared, the garden includes a statue of a young girl with butterflies alighting on her raised hands. Pluth starts off with basic questions about where Tyler lives and what kind of sports he likes. "I felt as if I had aged five years since Kevin's arrest," he says. Winds light and variable.. (Will County investigators refuse comment on the quality of the videotape. "They found her at Forsythe Woods," Curt answered in a broken voice. she asks. "Hurry back. He locked the front door and retired to his room. The answer is: far too many people. (Lyons did not return calls seeking comment.). Unfortunately, however, their world turned upside down on the fateful date of June 6, 2004. 81/63F. . Trying not to panic, Kevin searched the house. "He watched everybody search for his child the whole day," one woman, a ten-year resident of Wilmington, told the Chicago Sun-Times. Some people still thought he was a murderer. Kevin Fox was initially charged with his daughter's June 2004 murder. Kevin Wayne Fox, 52, of Bunker Hill, WV, passed away December 18, 2020. "He was crying," she recalls. WILMINGTON, IL The authorities at the Wilmington Police Department have obtained a bench warrant to arrest 45-year-old Wilmington resident Scott McCaughn on two felony . There, the couple gave birth to another daughter, Teagan, in 2006. They love to see innocent children tortured and defiled for their indigent minds because it elevates an idiot. Now, just a handful of minutes after giving his statement, he sat behind a Plexiglas window with a phone in his hand, shaking his head and crying as his older brother, Chad, and Kathleen Zellner watched helplessly and offered what comfort they could. (Hunter says today that even if he had been available, he would have refused to give the test on that occasion because Fox's interrogation had been so lengthy and confrontational.) Pluth asks again. But the court reduced the damages awarded to Kevin Fox and his wife, Melissa, to $8 million, down from about $12.2 million. In hindsight, the couple believe that either the police "were just completely overwhelmed by the fact that there was a murder in Wilmington and they had no idea what to do," Melissa says, "-or they were watching to see how we would react." But Zellner, who has viewed a copy of the videotape, says it's too fuzzy to make out a license plate or even to positively identify any vehicle. Eighteen of those children were stolen from the home. Teagan healed the tragic past of her mother and father, yet, Melissa claimed that Rileys death and Kevins false arrest was more than the couple could bear to go through. "In a way, though, it's hard," Kevin admits. Melissa was seen getting a fancy haircut at the mall. But when she looked for confirmation from two detectives who stood in the room-including Todd Lyons, a burly, bald Wilmington investigator to whom Kevin had delivered papers when he was a boy-they "just stared at us," she says. From that moment, Melissa says, she never doubted Kevin. . "For a state's attorney not to know of such a meeting of his detectives in such a high-profile case would be unheard of," she claims. A steady drizzle fell, while inside, mourners wept to a slide-show collage set to the songs "My Girl" and Sarah McLachlan's "Angel." We wanted to know if they had found out what had happened. The ruling elite is now past retardation for many centuries. She had been following the case in the media, and she urged Chad to get his brother to talk to her. Mass of Christian Burial 10:30 a.m. Interment private. Meanwhile, Tomczak and Glasgow were said to be running neck and neck in the state's attorney's race. On this night, however, leafing through a picture book, with Kevin holding Teagan, and Tyler peering over Melissa's shoulder, they can smile when they reach the photograph of the happy family they once were, when the biggest worries were a best man's toast and a little girl wanting to stand beside her daddy. Also added were the polygraph examiner, Richard C. Williams, Pluth, Kaupas, and a jail guard. For the first time publicly, Kevin and his wife, Melissa, talk about their ordeal, an account of pain, mystery, and undying faith, wrapped around an enduring tragedy. Kevin again refused. Tickets to see Kevin James perform in Joliet at the Rialto Square Theatre go on sale this Friday at 10 a.m. . Tags: Crime & Law, Design Controls - Google AMP, Long Reads, Politics & City Life, Print-Specific Tags - Feature, Writers - Bryan Smith. High 24F. He was cordial, they recall, but he also insisted that the two be separated. She screamed when she realized what she had found. AGE 40s Kevin J Fox Saint Jacob, IL View Full Report Used To Live In Relatives Their lenses, the family later learned, were trained not on the ceremony, or the casket, but on the mourners, including Kevin Fox. As if in anticipation of unavoidable criticism, Tomczak had earlier stopped at the defense table where Kevin Fox's attorney, Kathleen Zellner, was seated. How solid was the evidence? Kevin was shocked beyond words when the police recovered Rileys body but tried his best to assist in the investigation. . But Kevin knew he was meant to be with Melissa. He would eventually become such a fixture that the family would refer to him simply as "Scott.". Tomczak was bulky with thinning hair. Grey Fox Wealth is an independent fiduciary that provides comprehensive financial planning services, wealth management solutions, and direct access . (A water usage report from that night suggests that the washing machine did not run.) but we firmly believe, and the sheriff firmly believes, that [the detectives] did a good job . Judge James Carroll Fox, 90, of Wilmington, NC, passed away March 23 rd at home surrounded by his loving wife and family. Even so, as time passed and word spread that Riley Fox was missing, a search was mounted. "I knew he was innocent, and I knew my family was in for the fight of its life," he says. The questions started out easy, but quickly became pointed. (Through his attorney, Gerald Haberkorn, Hayes denied any allegations of impropriety. After Kevin graduated high school and entered college, Melissa got pregnant with their first child Tyler. Carmel Cemetery in Morris at a later date. 2 bds; 1 ba; 1,000 sqft - Active. Christmas passed with Kevin still in jail, then New Year's, and Kevin's 28th birthday on January 4th. . Melissa recalls asking, still holding out hope that their daughter was alive. The Foxes owned a dark blue Ford Escape. Also, Tomczak alleged during Kevin's initial hearing that "the autopsy report indicated [Riley] was alive and struggling when placed in the water." Pat Barry continues to defend the work of the Will County detectives. On 27 October 2004, investigators from the Will County, Illinois Sheriff's Office coerced a false confession from Kevin Fox to the sexual molestation and murder of his four-year-old daughter following a polygraph "test" administered by polygrapher Richard Williams. . Back to Top. ", Today, in recalling this part of the interrogation, Kevin weeps. "Let the little children come to me," said the Rev. He began having nightmares in which he would see Kevin strapped to a gurney, about to receive a lethal injection. The lab had found a man's saliva-just enough to extract a full DNA profile. "We really tried to stay the course," he told reporters. But this family's response-and I have to say when I met Kevin I understood-was that it isn't conceivable that someone like Kevin Fox could hurt anybody. In late June, Kevin and Melissa consented to letting the authorities question Tyler. I said, What are you talking about?'" "I told my mom that they should not answer any questions. At a press conference, Glasgow stopped short of directly criticizing Tomczak, but the implication was clear: he thought the case had been mishandled, particularly when it came to the long delay in DNA testing. "But she was right.". "When I saw the pictures . They urged Kevin to hire an attorney. It put stress on the couple, and soon, they separated with Melissa moving out with both children. "For it is to such as these the kingdom of God belongs.". Indeed, by late October of 2004 Kevin was the prime suspect. He planned to drive the kids to Chicago in the morning to catch Melissa at the finish line. Beyond that, she says, the details left several obvious questions unanswered. Beyond the walls of the sheriff's building dawn was arriving. Dawn's current home is located at Wilmington, IL. He laid Riley on the couch and placed his son, Tyler, in the chair in the living area before going to his room to watch TV. Kevin and Melissa have visited it many times, as they have Riley's grave in Wilmington's Oakwood Cemetery. "Todd, what the hell! ABC News 20/20 features this murder in one of their episodes and takes the viewer through the harrowing ordeal Rileys family had to go through after losing their child. Then, on June 7th, came the answer. But Bode, insisting on following protocol, said they'd have to wait for the final report. By the afternoon, more than 500 people were scouring the area, some on horseback, others on bicycles or all-terrain vehicles. Instead, she marched up the marble stairs and past the groom. Kevin had been up for more than 24 hours and he'd had little to eat. They first tested where Kevin said he had left the body-according to his confession, he had placed it in the water at the base of the Kahler Bridge, slipping once as he made his way down the muddy embankment. . That Saturday night, she stayed at a campsite with friends in Skokie. ), The exam began at just before one in the morning and took a little over an hour. The Tribune reported last year that while the FBI had paid $10,000 to Trisha Kiefer, Eby's former girlfriend, for her help in solving one of the Chicago region's most notorious crimes, the Fox . Nonetheless, since Kevin's release, a fresh group of investigators has taken over the case, though nothing promising has turned up. They were vacationing in the Ozarks. People wonder: who would do it? The family sued the state and won $15 million, which later was reduced to $8.5 million. As to the question of who would confess to a crime so heinous if they didn't do it, Steven Drizin, a leading authority on false confessions, says that is the least mysterious part of the story. Not only was he not being charged with involuntary manslaughter, as he believed he'd been promised, but he was now facing first-degree murder, a charge that carried the possibility of the death penalty. He then went home, cried for a while, and went to sleep. Find out where to go, what to eat, where to live, and more. Twitter Lhamo. On February 26, 2023, at approximately 8:34 a.m., a trooper was dispatched [] Ultimately the detectives went with a far less experienced examiner-Richard C. Williams, a Cook County detective who, according to the Fox lawsuit, had conducted only about 90 tests. With the possibility of a trial, Zellner began to reinvestigate the case. By the time the state's attorney had finished, Kevin's shoulders were shaking. After Champagne and pizza at Zellner's office, Kevin, Melissa, and Tyler spent the evening at Chad and Stacy's apartment in Chicago, safely away from the media. "No." According to the summary, Kevin thought of driving to his mother-in-law's house, or perhaps taking Riley to the hospital. Kevin even attached a cart to his bicycle, and Riley quickly adopted it as her favorite mode of travel. The few clues that might have pointed to other suspects were either discounted or ignored. What did he want to do on his first night out, he was asked. Bewildered and frightened, Kevin and Melissa prayed that the sudden departure was less ominous than it looked. Are you kidding me?" IL NewsDrunken Driver On Wrong Side Of Jefferson Street: Joliet Police ; Joliet, IL News Instead, Guilfoyle later wrote up a summary of the interview. ), Around Wilmington, rumors began to swirl that the Foxes were using money donated to a "Riley fund" for extravagant vacations and luxury purchases. The estranged couple was in the middle of a . He took his friend and Melissas brother along while leaving the children in the care of Melissas mother. The next day, an article and editorial in the local paper, The Free Press Advocate, excoriated Jacobson and NBC 5 and told the family's account: Melissa had traded in the car because she couldn't bear how it reminded her of trips around town with Riley. Even if Kevin had accidentally hurt Riley, he would have tried to resuscitate her-he was certified in CPR. Hundreds more turned out the next day for the funeral, many wearing pink ribbons and ties and butterfly pins. . "See all that red?" Which made what happened even more mysterious and frightening. While Chad talked about leaving for the big city, Kevin couldn't imagine living anywhere else. Months. "He changed more diapers and fed and bathed the kids way more than the average father.". "He admitted duct-taping the child's mouth. I knew it wasn't true. To escape from their past, the couple left their Wilmington home and moved to a Chicago suburb. The Tribune quickly threw its editorial support to Glasgow, saying on October 22nd that he didn't "carry the burden of doubts about the ethical conduct of his campaign.". And if it became clear that there was no new information they should leave immediately. Glasgow seized on the charges, suggesting his opponent would be soft on crime. Kevin says Swearengen's tone changed abruptly. Best MatchPowered by Whitepages Premium Best MatchPowered by Whitepages Premium Best Match Kevin Edward Fox Morrilton, AR (previously lived in Wilmington, IL) AGE 40s AGE 40s Kevin Edward Fox "We were still young, so it was scary," Kevin says. the cops, the judge, the seeming confidence of the state's attorney, and, most of all, the confession. He'd barely had time to grab a bite to eat all day. With his help, an investigative team began to re-enact each element of Kevin's statement to test it for plausibility. "Any charges of politics are baseless," Tomczak said in a statement the day after Fox's arrest. "You don't have much time," Hayes warned. Nine days later, Chad and Stacy packed more than 100 T-shirts bearing the words "Test Before Arrest" and "376 Days of a Killer on the Loose" in bold black lettering into a van that Zellner had rented for the occasion. The Kevin Fox they knew was a wonderful father, devoted to his wife and son and daughter. "This isn't political," he said. To accommodate the expected crowds, Riley's viewing, five days after the murder, was held at the town's largest church, St. Rose Catholic. More than six months later, DCFS reported finding no evidence to support the allegation. He immediately noticed that the front door and screen were ajar. With a huge smile on her face, she headed straight to her daddy, who scooped her up into his arms. I pledged the same fraternity. His blotchy face shines with tears. Finally they were brought out into a waiting room, where Curt, Dawn, Chad, and Stacy had already gathered. The case has set in motion a series of events that bitterly divided what had been a neighborly town; cast a shadow of suspicion over a tight-knit, well-respected family; and raised questions about whether justice was forsaken for personal and political ambitions. Best of 2022 Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Top 250 TV Shows Most Popular TV Shows Most Popular Video Games Most Popular Music Videos Most Popular Podcasts. A picture of the children would make its way into Chad's wedding album, a cherished memento of a perfect day. There would have been some sign. We've got to get this to the laboratory so that we can process it quickly.'" After returning home with his children at around 1 am, Kevin put his kids in the living room and went to bed at 2:30 am. Kevin and Melissa met while in high school together, and they quickly took to each other and fell in love. Visitation Friday, March 28th, 3 to 9 p.m. Funeral Saturday, 9:45 a.m., to St. Symphorosa Church. "He kept saying, The DNA will clear me,'" Chad says. ", At one point, according to the lawsuit, Hayes leaned close and told Kevin that he "knew people" at the jail, "and would make sure' that Kevin was fucked' every day unless he told them what they wanted to hear." It is heartbreaking to see such a devoted and doting father go through the seemingly never-ending and painful ordeal of losing his daughter and his entire family. To those who didn't know Kevin Fox, the hearing seemed to offer a shocking solution to a terrible crime .
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