GUILTY IL - Kimberly Vaughn, 34, & 3 children slain, Channahon Twp, 14 June 2007

[nanandjim]

Have these deaths been officially ruled homicide/suicide?

 

[fran]

I thought I read in an article yesterday that the bodies had been released; which, I thought was speedy considering they're murder victims. I would think there would be a little more invesitgating.

As far as him being experienced in investigating, that's in computer stuff. Not RL stuff. That would mean anything he knows about 'murder' forensics he probably learned watching CSI.:bang:

I'm sure he thinks he has all his bases covered. SP thought he did too. After all, he paid cash for the boat, stored it at his place of business and told Laci not to go there because of the chemicals,............he even checked out the currents of the Bay...........

Like a wise man said who was participating in the Peterson forum at the time of the investigation and trial, 'there is no school on being a criminal,' or some such thing. Whoever did this, :slap: .............thinks they know all about how to cover up a crime, but ehhh.............there's always that big elephant in the middle of the room, the body. Since he didn't need to get rid of the bodies, just find a reason for the 'deaths,' he staged everything, having THREE HOURS to do it, and now he comes up with his 'version' of the crime.

LOL, if all we had to do is watch CSI for an hour a week, there would be people clamoring by the hundreds at LE doors for a chance to help solve crimes. After all, they had a degree from CSI!

IMHO, the forensics of this case are going to be key in solving this case. That and the circumstantial evidence will show who REALLY committed this crime.

JMHO
fran

PS...........and sorry, I STILL think he did it and I DO NOT think he's grieving,.....except for himself in that his entire life is now going to be looked at under a microscope by LE and anyone else with computer access and the knowledge on how to do it............fran

 

[fran]

Have these deaths been officially ruled homicide/suicide?

Hi nan

This was from a recent news article:

"Police said either Vaughn or his wife is responsible for the killings. They have also said Vaughn isn't a suspect but have continued to question him."

fran

 

[nanandjim]

...I STILL think he did it and I DO NOT think he's grieving,.....except for himself in that his entire life is now going to be looked at under a microscope by LE and anyone else with computer access and the knowledge on how to do it............fran

Hey Fran. I also think that the husband is responsible for murdering his entire family. I hope that LE sent specialists to the scene to map out the trajectory of the bullets and for analysis of the blood spatter, etc.

Let's hope that justice is served for this family. I keep thinking about this poor wife and mother, who thought her world was grand. She was excited about going away on a romantic weekend all the while this is planning to murder his entire family. That's just my opinion, folks...

 

[MizStery]

Oh, absolutely the trajectory will tell a story. As well for the mother who was in the front seat of the vehicle. From the aerial shot you could see her body there. Just awful...and I agree with southcitymom -- what does happen that would cause someone to do something like this? I can't think of ANYTHING that innocent children could do that might cause a parent to take their lives.

I tried to get the images shack link to work(the link with pictures taken from the air of the SUV). If you have another link or can tell me how to get that one to work I would appreciate it. Also any posters from Chicago any updates would be welcome

 

[Lanie]

LOL, if all we had to do is watch CSI for an hour a week, there would be people clamoring by the hundreds at LE doors for a chance to help solve crimes. After all, they had a degree from CSI!

OMG, I was SOOOOOO annoying when CSI came out. I was always pointing out how WRONG everything was, and I would know, seeing how I was a straight A student of Forensic Files, Cold Case Files, etc.

 

[NoKoolaidKid]

Breaking News.... http://www.nbc5.com/news/13539818/detail.html
with lots of pictures, some new.

"Four police investigators were in the home for several hours on Wednesday, Jacobson reported. They removed three computers, a keypad, three VHS tapes, a fax machine, a printer and what looked like a cable box. The items were placed in an unmarked police car that had been waiting outside the home and taken away."

​

"Authorities were also running toxicology tests on Kimberly Vaughn and the three children to determine if they were given any sedatives or drugs prior to the shooting, Jacobson reported."

 

[fran]

OMG, I was SOOOOOO annoying when CSI came out. I was always pointing out how WRONG everything was, and I would know, seeing how I was a straight A student of Forensic Files, Cold Case Files, etc.

LOL, I love your posts Lanie!

FWIW, I know a forensic chemist. It doesn't involve 'human' dna though.

For the record, she wanted to do it before any of those shows came on and she watched them once or twice and lost interest. Guess they were too gory.:slap:

fran

 

[fran]

Breaking News.... http://www.nbc5.com/news/13539818/detail.html
with lots of pictures, some new.

"Four police investigators were in the home for several hours on Wednesday, Jacobson reported. They removed three computers, a keypad, three VHS tapes, a fax machine, a printer and what looked like a cable box. The items were placed in an unmarked police car that had been waiting outside the home and taken away."

​

"Authorities were also running toxicology tests on Kimberly Vaughn and the three children to determine if they were given any sedatives or drugs prior to the shooting, Jacobson reported."

I'm glad they took the computers etc., but you know, this is becoming so common, I think this guy might be too smart for any of those items to be of much use.

I don't know how long they spent at the scene with the bodies still in the vehicle, and knowing they've already released the bodies, I would hope they took meticulous notes on the angles of the travel of the projectiles and the locations and positions of the bodies. These facts could be crucial in determining who did this.

I know this is LE 101, but I don't know how long they spent on the scene and how experienced these forensic guys are.

JMHO
fran

 

[UM&AMWfan]

Don't you guys think the husband was likely involved? It just doesn't seem right that all 3 kids are dead and wife is dead with a bullet to the head a he is shot only in the thigh??

Don't you think it's plausible that he shot all 4 of them and then shot himself in the thigh? Then he got rid of the gun before he called for help.

There I solved it!! LOL!

 

[pamlet]

Somehow I don't think the Illinois State Police are country bumpkins. I imagine they're waiting on the reports ..

Interesting that they took VHS tapes... I think I read in the local NBC article they took 3 VHS .. These days who uses VHS tapes? You'd think a computer guru would have things on DVD..

Hard to say what all they're looking for specifically..

 

[southcitymom]

Did the cops in that case ever say Scott was not a suspect, or did they just lay low until evidence was gathered?

I know that case is very different from this case - I was just wondering...

 

[Jesstexas]

Did the cops in that case ever say Scott was not a suspect, or did they just lay low until evidence was gathered?

I know that case is very different from this case - I was just wondering...

I don't recall, SCM, but I think the standard operating procedure has become for LE to say that so-and-so is not a "suspect" but they haven't ruled them out. And they'll keep saying that right up until they arrest him.

I'll be very interested in the results of those toxicology tests because that part's really been bugging me. How does one person shoot an entire family, in the car, without anyone bolting? At first I thought maybe they were all asleep, since it was the middle of the night and all, but even then, after the first shot, everyone would have woken up. Did any of them have defensive wounds? Any shots through their hands? If not, it makes no sense whatsoever, unless they were all drugged.

 

[Camper]

Somehow I don't think the Illinois State Police are country bumpkins. I imagine they're waiting on the reports ..

Interesting that they took VHS tapes... I think I read in the local NBC article they took 3 VHS .. These days who uses VHS tapes? You'd think a computer guru would have things on DVD..

Hard to say what all they're looking for specifically..

--->>>Some information new readers may have missed.

http://www.topix.net/us/fbi/2007/06
Scroll down the page to find this information about John Larson the head
investigator on the Vaughn case.

snip --Crime Scene Investigator Explains Vaughn Murders

“You'd actually be able to put rods with strings coming out or lasers coming out
showing a point where they converge and that's where your shooter would be sitting
or standing.”

Four days after the horrific deaths of a woman and her three children in the western
suburbs, there are still no charges.

The Vaughn family tragedy is still under investigation and CBS 2 Chief
Correspondent Jay Levine turned to a veteran crime scene investigator for some
insight.

Visitors can tell by the badges and medals on his wall that John Larsen knows what
he's talking about. He's been named investigator of the year and head of Chicago's
first FBI evidence response team.

And he's confident that the evidence gathered at the crime scene will identify the
shooter. Could it have been Kimberly Vaughn, who then committed suicide?



http://cbs2chicago.com/local/local_story_169230258.html
See picture of John Larsen and more story on the investigation
This is an old link from earlier in this thread, lots of good information on the case
investigation.

I personally would love to know the angle and specific location of our Mr. Vaughns 'thigh' injury. JUST that alone would tell an interesting tale.


.

 

[chicoliving]

TV show linked to search of home

An episode of the TV show "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" was partly behind a new search Wednesday of the Oswego home of the Vaughn family, four of whom were shot and killed last week, a law-enforcement source said.

In a statement, Illinois State Police said they took "cable boxes, modems and additional computer-related attachments," from the home in a search that lasted from about 3:30 to 5 p.m.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-070620vaughn,1,482784.story?coll=chi-news-hed

New Evidence And New Focus In Vaughn Murders

~snip~

If you look closely at a picture of Chris Vaughn taken by a Chicago “Sun-Times” photographer, a bandage is visible on his left wrist. A well-placed source tells CBS 2 it covers a wound made by the same bullet that tore through Vaughn's left thigh. Investigators think that might be significant. How he was shot, where he was shot, whether the shooting occurred inside the car or out, they believe, may be the key to the case.
~snip~
CBS 2 reported Tuesday night about an alleged relationship Vaughn claimed he'd confessed to his wife just before the shootings. Removing what state police said were cable boxes, modems and additional computer related attachments Wednesday, they were clearly anxious to scrutinize every aspect of the Vaughns' lives.

http://cbs2chicago.com/topstories/local_story_171185530.html

 

[chicoliving]

~snip~
Sources tell ABC7 news that the computers taken Wednesday will be searched for e-mail and bank account information, evidence that may lead to a motive for the shooting.

Sources also say they were having financial problems. Christopher Vaughn owned a computer fraud and cyberfraud investigation firm but failed to renew its business license last December.

Police are poring over the evidence, looking at blood spatter patterns trying to determine who fired the gun. The wake will be held Friday in St. Charles, Missouri, the funeral on Saturday.

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=local&id=5407701

 

[chicoliving]

~snip~

Detectives have been scrutinizing a recent "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" episode, which revolved around the fatal shooting of a mother and her children. The mother initially was believed to have shot the children, wounded her husband and then shot herself. But in a surprise ending, the husband is charged with the murders of his wife and children.

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/heraldnews/news/437312,4_1_JO21_OSMURDER_S1.article

 

[southcitymom]

I don't recall, SCM, but I think the standard operating procedure has become for LE to say that so-and-so is not a "suspect" but they haven't ruled them out. And they'll keep saying that right up until they arrest him.

I'll be very interested in the results of those toxicology tests because that part's really been bugging me. How does one person shoot an entire family, in the car, without anyone bolting? At first I thought maybe they were all asleep, since it was the middle of the night and all, but even then, after the first shot, everyone would have woken up. Did any of them have defensive wounds? Any shots through their hands? If not, it makes no sense whatsoever, unless they were all drugged.

I think you are right about LE keeping quiet until an arrest.

The second part of your posts hits on many of the questions that I have. Though the fact that the children were shot several times leads me to believe that their may have been some defensive wounds.

If three kids are belted in the back of a car with locked doors and one of their parents just starts shooting them, I can imagine that they may be too shocked/wounded to move very much.

 

[Camper]

~snip~

Detectives have been scrutinizing a recent "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" episode, which revolved around the fatal shooting of a mother and her children. The mother initially was believed to have shot the children, wounded her husband and then shot herself. But in a surprise ending, the husband is charged with the murders of his wife and children.

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/heraldnews/news/437312,4_1_JO21_OSMURDER_S1.article

--->>>Chico, thanks for the three posts!!!!!

From this post of yours, from the link you provide I Quote: "The Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission has no record of Christopher Vaughn obtaining a firearms certificate in connection with his job in that state. According to Washington state law, armed private investigators are required to obtain a firearms certificate through that commission.

Trish Brock, a friend of Kimberly Vaughn's from the family's time in Sammamish, Wash., told the Chicago Sun-Times Wednesday that Kimberly disliked the fact that her husband had a gun and insisted that he keep it in his Jeep, not in their home. "This is another reason I'm having a hard time picturing her wielding a handgun because she was anti-gun," Brock said.


Camper comments ->WOW interesting information!!! Vaughn was an unarmed investigator in the state of Washington. 'BIG' part of this murder investigation will be LEARNING WHEN the gun used in the murder was purchased, --- IF IF there are no ATF records showing a gun sold to any Vaughn, then it would mean most likely that Vaughn MAY have bought it from a private party WHO violated the ATF rules about GUN SALES!!! Guns sold at Gun Shows by PRivate parties are required to file the paper work sale information. The gun itself can be traced by the serial number on the gun, to learn the guns history. Will be interesting IF IF LE learns that the GUN MIGHT have a 'stolen story in its history', which could mean shady stuff, and being an investigator, Vaughn should know the FFL law and ATF requirements for purchasing a gun. Dynamite information links Chico.

My husband had a FFL to sell fire arms in our sporting goods store. ATF is very very picky about concise RECORD KEEPING!!!!

ATF=Alcohol,Tobacco and Firearms
FFL=Federal Firearms License

SOOOOO, Vaughn had TWO wounds as his parents related in another link, they SAID that they had seen the thigh wound but they did not KNOW where the other wound was, Hmmm.

HOW COULD his parents NOT know where the second wound was IF IF IT WAS ON HIS ARM??
Wonder what the temperature was the time of the shooting, DID Vaughn have on a jacket, or long sleeved shirt, wouldn't there be a HOLE IN THE SHIRT TOOOOOO?? UNLESS he (guessing here) shot himself AFTER he took off his shirt, er, huh???

.

 

[curves]

Did the cops in that case ever say Scott was not a suspect, or did they just lay low until evidence was gathered?

I know that case is very different from this case - I was just wondering...

Hi Southcitymom,

From memory, no they didn't. I don't think they can do that even if they suspect someone because then it looks they they were biased and could be accused of trying to make the evidence fit their scenario. Modesto LE actually stated a number of times that Scott wasn't a suspect but they did want to speak to or something similar - he lawyerd up so quickley