GUILTY IL - Kristina Wesselman, 15, raped & murdered, Glen Ellyn, 21 July 1985

[bessie]

Hi Bessie. I'm local to the area. Where Kristy was murdered is closest to bordering Lisle. I wouldn't connect any of the other murders to Kristy's murders, or at least I don't have any reason to as of yet.

I can't carry over links to maps, but the area Kristy was murdered is just north of Morton Arboretum, which is 1700 acres. Just east of where she was murdered are forest preserves and the east branch of the DuPage river.

If anyone was to map the intersections of Rt 56 and Rt 53 in Glen Ellyn they'd get an idea of the area. It was not as developed in 85 as it is now.

The recent cold case arrest for the girl from Palatine who was murdered and found in Racine, WI made me think of Kristy.

I keep hoping one of these days a link to this case from an unexpected place pops up and the case is solved.

Thanks, Cubby. That's what I thought. I don't see any connection at the moment, either. Just trying to get a feel for the terrain. It's been lightyears since I've been through there.

https://www.google.com/maps?saddr=Downers+Grove,+IL&daddr=Butterfield+Rd&hl=en&ll=41.821479,-88.018427&spn=0.037035,0.084543&sll=41.818728,-88.057652&sspn=0.037036,0.117245&geocode=FRf0fQIdWQ7B-ik51THwdFEOiDGKk8NqmxveAQ%3BFRlLfgIdImbA-g&oq=downer&t=h&mra=dme&mrsp=1&sz=14&z=14


I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Kristina. :crossfingers:

 

[Kell1]

Welcome, glenellyngirl!


:welcome5:


In June, 1985, Donna LePore was shot to death in her home in Downer's Grove. Her murder is unsolved. From what I can tell, Downer's Grove is less than five miles from where Kristina's body was found. Maybe glenellyngirl or another local can confirm.

http://www.dupagesheriff.org/VictimServices/152/


This article talks about the high percentage of women murdered in DuPage County 1982-85. Donna and Kristina are mentioned.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/...rder-victims-gang-killings-teen-gang-activity

Thanks Bessie,

Im most interested in any crimes, in that immediate area, especially the park where she was killed,

the Police believe her killer laid in wait for her, which means 1 he either knew, she would be taking that route, OR he was waiting for ANY victim of opportunity in the right circumstances.

If its the latter, Id expect to see some evidence of attempts, with other potential victims

This would've most likely grown out of lesser crimes, like robberies, assaults, possibly rape, even things like loitering, or curfew charges where his confidence, was built because he was comfortable in that area.

That's IF he actually lay in wait for her, there's a strong possibility she was followed from the store, possibly even to and from

 

[Cubby]

I am going to submit a possible POI to the DuPage County Sheriff's department regarding this case. It's a thread of circumstantial evidence and a long shot, but it does fall in line with the grocery store employee theory. It's probably nothing, but worth a look due to the known circumstances. If nothing else, another rule out.

 

[Cubby]

In 2000, officials entered DNA taken from the crime scene into a national database consisting of more than 500,000 profiles of people convicted of violent crimes.

But still nothing.

Buchholz said he believes Kristy's killer was a young man at the time, but that he never became a habitual offender.

"The gut feeling I had was cleared when they ran the DNA of the person I believed was personally involved in it," he said. "The ones you zeroed in on either had great alibis or were (later) knocked out through DNA."


http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20110721/news/707219873/


The person I suggested LE look at fits into the "never became a habitual offender" and probably did not have DNA in Codis, though DNA may be waiting to get entered into Codis. I'm not sure about the DNA possibly being entered, but there is a recent arrest which led me to suggest LE to take a look at this person.

 

[Cubby]

I did a little more digging and there is DNA on the person I suggested LE look at. DNA was ordered fairly recently and I am not sure how long it takes to be entered. If it hasn't, hopefully it will be entered soon.

Again, this is pure speculation based on some loosely related theories. I have no information on any direct link, just enough circumstantial info to suggest a look.

 

[colette]

Michael R. Jones, 52, was arrested and charged with two counts of murder and one count of aggravated criminal sexual assault, according to the release. LE had received new information on Sept 10, that led to the arrest.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/subur...old-case-kristy-wesselman-20150920-story.html

 

[georgiasblu]

Would love to know if the ring had something to do with his arrest.

 

[colette]

Would love to know if the ring had something to do with his arrest.

I bet it did. I think someone gave a tip, maybe about the ring. Then they searched his home, maybe they found the ring.


On Sept. 10, the sheriff’s office obtained new information regarding the Wesselman cause, according to police. Cold case detectives investigated the new information and located Jones.

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2015/09...s-charge-suspect-in-1985-murder-of-teen-girl/

 

[colette]

Jones is being held in the DuPage County Jail and is expected to appear in court Monday morning.

Sheriff's office representatives declined to elaborate on how the case was solved, saying there would be a news conference on Monday.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...irls-murder-tip-yields-alleged-killer-n430601


I guess we will found out more tomorrow.

 

[Cubby]

I was just coming here to post this. I see someone beat me to it.

Wow, just wow. Here is what the Daily Herald is reporting:

The 30-year-old cold case broke Sept. 10 when sheriff's police say they obtained new information regarding the slaying. Detectives investigated the new information and located Jones, authorities said. A search warrant was conducted at his Champaign address on Friday and Jones was arrested Sunday, police said.

Sheriff's police did not immediately disclose the nature of the new information or any of the evidence linking Jones to the murder.

Champaign County court records indicate Jones was arrested in May on a felony domestic battery charge. As part of a plea agreement he reached in July, Jones was required to give blood, saliva or tissue samples and ordered to pay a fee for DNA analysis.


http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20150920/news/150929932/


Sounds to me like it was a CODIS hit on the dna match.

 

[Cubby]

This case remains under investigation and the sheriff’s office is requesting information from the public regarding this case or any other incident which may have involved Michael R. Jones.

Anyone with information is requested to please contact the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office at 630-407-2400 or by Anonymous Crime Tips via the DuPage County Sheriff’s website or by text to CRIMES (274637) and please include the keyword sheriff in the message.


http://patch.com/illinois/glenellyn...ld-case-murder-teen-unincorporated-glen-ellyn

 

[Cubby]

inmate details:

http://inmatesearch.dupagesheriff.o...InmateNum=242610&txtInmateID=0NUYUWX000DUP5KM

 

[Cubby]

A couple articles from the archive Chicago Tribune site:

http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1985/07/27/page/28/article/700-at-rites-for-attack-victim-15

http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1985/07/24/page/17/article/clues-sought-in-weeds-of-death-site

http://archives.chicagotribune.com/.../reward-hobbyists-aid-search-for-teens-killer

http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1985/07/26/page/44/article/suburban-report

 

[Cubby]

Sheriff Gets Justice for Murder Victim after 30 Years

Sheriff John Zaruba announced the arrest of a Champaign man for the 1985 Kristina Wesselman Murder.
Michael R. Jones (dob/03/5/53) of the 2500 block of Southmoor Dr., Champaign, IL has been charged with two counts of Murder and one count of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault.



http://www.dupagesheriff.org/PressReleases/2015/1167/

 

[Cubby]

Suspects criminal record in Champaign County.

https://secure.jtsmith.com/clerk/yytt331s.asp

Only two charges listed. One in 1999 and the other in May of this year.

 

[:+:MrTT:+:]

They got him Kristina! Now you can rest in peace Princess.

 

[georgiasblu]

Anyone know the time of the PC?

 

[Quad]

http://abc7chicago.com/news/dna-lea...t-offender-in-1985-sex-assault-murder/994285/

 

[colette]

http://abc7chicago.com/news/dna-lea...t-offender-in-1985-sex-assault-murder/994285/

From your article:
Jones, a repeat offender, was out on parole on a 1977 sexual assault case in Cook County when he raped and murdered Wesselman, Berlin said. In the 1977 case, Jones crashed his car into a woman riding a bicycle and took her to his parents' house where he raped her repeatedly. He was convicted and sentenced to 10 to 20 years, but spent only 7 years in prison.

He was paroled in 1983. Two years later, Wesselman was murdered.


Who knows what else he has been doing all this time.

 

[Joe Friday]

Would love to know if the ring had something to do with his arrest.

I bet it did. I think someone gave a tip, maybe about the ring. Then they searched his home, maybe they found the ring.


On Sept. 10, the sheriff’s office obtained new information regarding the Wesselman cause, according to police. Cold case detectives investigated the new information and located Jones.

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2015/09...s-charge-suspect-in-1985-murder-of-teen-girl/

Jones was recently required to give a DNA sample due to a felony conviction for domestic assault. When his DNA profile was entered it matched DNA from Kristina's case.


DNA Match Led Cops to Michael Jones, Who Allegedly Killed Girl 30 Years Ago



A man accused of raping and murdering a teenage girl 30 years ago was nabbed after he submitted DNA for a recent domestic violence conviction and it matched genetic material taken from the 1985 crime scene, authorities revealed Monday.

Read more: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/dna-match-led-cops-man-who-allegedly-killed-girl-30-n430941