GUILTY IL - Antinette 'Toni' Keller, 18, DeKalb, NIU Student, 14 October 2010

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Sadly, I think politics came first in Toni's case. I can't help but think the objective here is cost savings and to protect NIU. A trial would certainly draw unwelcome attention to the University......

The whole thing makes me sick. Toni and her family seem to be an afterthought with this whole process.

If they think criminals aren't going to notice how soft the new SA is in DeKalb County, they are in for a huge surprise.

I am devastated for Toni's family. To lose their daughter in such a heinous way and then to be railroaded over like this by the justice system. I'm embarassed to say, I'm a resident of Illinois. Fortunately not DeKalb County, but as a mother of a child who plans to attend college, NIU is off the table as an option.
 
Yesterday and Monday there was an uproar over this on facebook. Many of us contacted news stations from Chicago and Rockford. It worked well, all the stations covered it, and most with a reporter there.

This case has had it bad since day one and I do believe it is the pressure of NIU being the "star" of DeKalb. NIU has had really really bad publicity for over a year now, maybe more. The need for the big trial (cameras allowed in court now would be a big draw from Chicago news stations) neede to GO AWAY.

This chickenpoo prosecution is beyond outrageous.

I hope it generates more bad publicity than the trial would have. They deserve it for the way they have treated the Kellers.



Let me go get one of Mrs Kellers facebook posts to illustrate my point, brb.
OK-Here is one of them, 4/2/13:
Diane Keller
we were not told of the plea bargain happening today. so when we found out it was at 1:30, roger and i went to the courthouse. we were told that there would be no announcement until tomorrow. so we came home to plan to go tomorrow. we didn't even get home yet and they left a message on roger's phone that he got 37 yrs and hurried up and did the press conference befo...re we got home. it was clear that they did not want us there. we were told we could submit a victim impact statement only if it is submitted by 10:30 am tomorrow and we were told we could not say anything to curl or any negative comments about the justice system. so he will walk someday free. the prosecutors stephanie and phil let us down. mr schmuck, you just wanted to save your reputation, get out of office. you sicken me. Toni scratched the hell out of his chest fighting to save herself. you people are a disgrace to the city of DeKalb.
 
Oh, and one more thing... that joke of an election? I would bet you a dollar that was a plan. They did not want this prosecuted by a strong SA, too much attention.

Little did they know. Jerks.
 
I could be wrong, but as the parent of a current NIU student, I DON'T think the pressure to avoid a trial and publicity has come from the University community. The attack did not take place on campus, and so I really don't think they're trying to minimize or hide the facts of what happened. Unfortunately, the park is located near campus, and like most college towns, there are areas where (especially single females) shouldn't walk alone.
I wish this had never happened, just like the situation with the NIU shooter on campus 2/14/08, but I really don't believe Curl's plea deal was orchestrated by the college. My son (the current student) would generally share that kind of info if he'd been hearing rumors to that effect, but he hasn't mentioned it at all.
 
I didn't mean to imply the pressure came from the University. It came from the politicians, imo and this :censored: SA who appears to be a 180 from his predecessor.

and fwiw, my child isn't even in middle school yet, so college is a long ways off. Didn't mean to put anyone off by my comments above. My apologies if I did. I was just infuriated this morning when I posted. Sorry.

I just feel the slam in the gut the Kellers must be feeling. It's like getting slammed with a baseball bat right in the gut. :(
 
There was only a brief mention of the plea deal on Chicagoland area news the other day. I don't believe Toni's name was even mentioned (I could be wrong tho). Iirc they reported that Curl had accepted a plea deal for killing a NIU student and received a sentence of 32 years. When I heard the news, I felt sick.

People become more outraged over crimes of passion or other crimes that involve volatile relationships, than when an innocent girl is plucked from her life because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time, killed and burned with the hopes she'd just disappear. I don't understand our measuring system if that makes any sense. The outrage should be at least equal imo. This situation is so sad and tragic.

I do believe the University environment would rather have the crime part of remembering Toni buried in the past so as to not upset the atmosphere at the University. Also for the purpose of keeping fear at bay. That's only my opinion.

It's interesting that Curl's sister still doesn't believe he's guilty. If she's so sure about that, why would he ever have accepted a plea deal? Afterall, a 32-37 year sentence isn't just a drop in the bucket either.
 
I saved most every interview and coverage in the Case Archive. Many of the Chicago and Rockford stations were present 4/3/13.
A few were out there 4/2/13 also.


Favor, anyone?
I saved the press release from DeKalb SA Richard Schmack, but deleted the screen capture. The file I have is poor quality and I am looking for the link to the press release about the plea deal. In that, Schmack defends making the deal. The date on it is 4/3/13.

I need the link to that. I am lost, cannot find it, don't know where I saved it from. Help?
 
Gotten a lot heftier, 233 lb, 5'7" Curl awaits prison placement in IDOC custody.

1c.jpg:original
 
Sorry for the emotives in this but I am P'd off about this. If you have the time please read through my feelings on the "plea deal."

Why is no one outraged with the NIU Campus Police??? They gave up the search EARLY because it was.... "RAINING." What they couldn't have used search dogs, search lights and RAIN gear??? If they didn't give up the search EARLY they could have FOUND her body. FOUND the EVIDENCE before Curl could DESTROY it.

OUTRAGED???? Yes Residents of Dekalb and parents of NIU students should be outraged. They should also take pause to wonder....What IF?..... So now there will be NO trial. He copped a plea deal.. He ALSO confessed in Louisiana under who knows WHAT conditions. I am NOT saying Curl is innocent. But as a resident of Dekalb County and PARENT of an NIU alumna, I take GREAT pause to wonder in all of this. When does the public get to see the evidence now that there is no trial? Something didn't smell right from the very BEGINNING of this "investigation." The NIU Campus police were in charge of the search to begin with. They gave UP the search due to "rainy weather." Meanwhile Curl... supposedly ALONE managed to cremate poor Antinette's ENTIRE body (the body of evidence) IN that "rainy weather." Alone??? I never believed he could pull that off ALONE. But now we will NEVER know if there were any accomplices...:banghead:like say railroad TRAMPS that Curl mixed with. I read that Curl hopped trains. Whose to say that he wasn't involved in a gang of train hoppers? That park has been KNOWN to be a tent camp for transient train hoppers. But we will NEVER know now will we??? No trial.... Let me guess... WHO does that SERVE??? Well the NIU it does. Just like those NIU "police" that gave up on the search for her early. This will, "Make it go away quicker.":furious:

If I were Antinette's parents I would take NIU to court. DON'T let this "story" this travesty of JUSTICE "go away".... get swept under the rug. NIU needs to be investigated and I would NEVER send ANY more of MY children there. Think about it. They don't CARE. This could have been or BE YOUR child.:rant:

Woe.be.gone said:
There was only a brief mention of the plea deal on Chicagoland area news the other day. I don't believe Toni's name was even mentioned (I could be wrong tho). Iirc they reported that Curl had accepted a plea deal for killing a NIU student and received a sentence of 32 years. When I heard the news, I felt sick.

People become more outraged over crimes of passion or other crimes that involve volatile relationships, than when an innocent girl is plucked from her life because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time, killed and burned with the hopes she'd just disappear. I don't understand our measuring system if that makes any sense. The outrage should be at least equal imo. This situation is so sad and tragic.

I do believe the University environment would rather have the crime part of remembering Toni buried in the past so as to not upset the atmosphere at the University. Also for the purpose of keeping fear at bay. That's only my opinion.

It's interesting that Curl's sister still doesn't believe he's guilty. If she's so sure about that, why would he ever have accepted a plea deal? Afterall, a 32-37 year sentence isn't just a drop in the bucket either.
Click to expand...
 
ISeeThroughYou,
As the parent of a current NIU student, who was attending the university at the same time when Toni was killed, I concur about having frustrations with Curl's plea deal and that there will be no trial, but I don't know how much blame belongs on the school for what happened. No college wants negative publicity, but they certainly didn't avoid it.

Believe me, I'm not a particular "fan" of the NIU Administration, but there are cases at virtually every college in the U.S. where students don't come back to their dorm at night, and it DOESN'T warrant an all-out university police search, especially of off-campus locations.

I'm not certain at what point the NIU police got outside law enforcement involved, but according to http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=7731662 the local, county, and state police were all looking for her after Friday evening, when she was officially reported missing.

Truthfully, since the issue of the park being frequented by railroad "tramps" was known in the community, I'm wondering why DeKalb police didn't maintain a more visible presence in the park on a regular basis...on the other hand, maybe they did keep a closer eye in the evenings, but the crime against Toni apparently happened in the middle of the day. (I attended a different university, but even 30+ years ago, it was just "common sense" for girls not to wander around alone, because the chance of being overpowered by guys was too great.)

I still wonder if Toni had ever encountered Curl in her previous walks in the park, to the point where he might have known that she usually showed up at particular time between classes, and was waiting, versus it being a "chance, random event." Since Toni was described as an independent, outgoing, and trusting individual, I wonder if she might've just passed him on a path, and given a casual, friendly smile without ever thinking more of it, but with a sicko like Curl, he could've interpreted it as more, and then when she didn't accept his advances, he raged. Clearly, he's got issues; I just don't think it's fair to hold NIU responsible for what happened.

(As a side note, I'm not at all happy with other stories that have come out against the fired former Campus Police Chief, Don Grady...the role he played in various cases does make a person wonder about how he ran the department, but at least he's gone now. http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2013/02...r-says-hell-fight-this-in-every-way-possible/ )
 
According to the news story I just heard on WBBM 780 AM Radio, Curl wants to change his plea agreement. It said that IL law allows 30 days to disagree, and in his case, it's been over 100 days, so prosecutors have stated they don't think he should be given the opportunity, but he claims because he doesn't read well, he didn't understand the agreement up to now!?? He also complained about threats being made to his 13-yr-old son?? Apparently, he's got another court date scheduled for Sept. 5th. http://plainfield.patch.com/groups/...late-to-take-back-guilty-plea-prosecutor-says

I feel SOOOO sorry for Toni's family. I can't understand our "justice" system, when a lowlife like Curl has so many options to keep wasting the court's time and our tax dollars, etc. ~ I understand where many criminals have learning disabilities, etc. but the fact schools didn't teach him to read is a separate issue...His own defense lawyers had to have spoken to him about what was going on, even if he couldn't read all the "fine print."
 
Here's another boohoo and this time it gets them a hearing for 9/16/13.

Supposedly, Curl was in solitary confinement and did not have a chance to see his attorney or some garbage like that. He is the one who took the deal, fgs. His own choice. Now that he sees the inside of Menard (worst prison in IL) he has second thoughts and wants his mama.

There is a video after the article that shows the actual sentencing, but with a voce-over of this news. I had not seen that video of the sentencing.

http://www.daily-chronicle.com/2013/09/05/lawyer-missed-deadline-not-billy-curls-fault/aglwoug/

Lawyer: Missed deadline not Billy Curl's fault

SYCAMORE – A judge will hold a hearing Sept. 16 to determine whether William “Billy” Curl should have more time to try to withdraw his guilty plea in the death of a Northern Illinois University student. After he pleaded guilty to murdering NIU freshman Antinette “Toni” Keller in exchange for a 37-year prison sentence April 3, Curl had 30 days to ask a judge to revoke the plea agreement. But Curl, 37, formerly of DeKalb, didn’t file his handwritten motion until July 22....
 
According to http://northernstar.info/city/article_3d47238c-190a-11e3-98e2-001a4bcf6878.html Curl claims was not aware he could appeal the guilty plea until “some legally astute prisoners” at Menard Correctional Center helped him pen the document. It also said Curl did not have access to a law library, phone, writing or postage materials, and was unable to contact anyone for a period of time. :scared:

(Obviously, he wasn't in solitary confinement if it was other prisoners who told him how to keep things tied up in the legal system. :stormingmad: )
 
Another article I read said,
"Defense attorney Daniel Transier argued that the 30-day deadline should be extended because it wasn’t Curl’s fault he missed it. Curl was unable to contact his lawyer or to gather necessary materials because he was placed in an isolation room at Stateville Correctional Center five days after formalizing the plea agreement, Transier said in court documents. The 30-day deadline had passed by the time he was transferred to Menard Correctional Center and could consult a lawyer. More recently, Transier filed a notice that Curl wanted to appeal Stuckert's decision with the Illinois Second District Appellate Court in Elgin. On Oct.1, 2013 DeKalb County Associate Judge John McAdams appointed an appellate public defender to help him with that appeal."

Does anyone know how long it typically takes to get before a judge in the IL Appellate court system? It seems like this case could continue to drag out indefinitely, with no consideration of the agony it brings to a victim's immediate family or the community at large.... On a personal note, I have to believe Curl is the one responsible for Toni's death, especially (THANKFULLY) since there haven't been any other NIU campus killings since... He needs to stay behind bars!! :jail:
 
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