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

[Woe.be.gone]

Here's the article from the Northern Star about yesterday's hearing.

http://northernstar.info/city/article_8c3baa26-fcac-11df-9b99-0017a4a78c22.html

Curl's next scheduled court date is December 9 at 8:45AM.

 

[Lil PI]

FYI this was just posted in the chronicle
http://www.daily-chronicle.com/2010/12/09/prosecutors-provide-evidence-to-curls-attorney/a6tz0m1/

SYCAMORE – Prosecutors on Thursday provided some of the evidence they have in the case of a missing Northern Illinois University student to the defense attorney of the man accused of killing her.

In a court appearance Thursday morning at the DeKalb County Courthouse in Sycamore, prosecutors provided discovery items to DeKalb County Public Defender Regina Harris, who has been appointed to represent William “Billy” Curl.

DeKalb County First Assistant State's Attorney Bill Engerman said in court that the items includes police reports, photos, DVD recordings of interviews, and surveillance video from Taco Bell, Casey's General Store and 7-Eleven.

Curl has been charged with five counts of first-degree murder in the apparent death of 18-year-old NIU freshman Antinette “Toni” Keller of Plainfield. Keller disappeared Oct. 14 after telling friends she was going for a walk in Prairie Park in DeKalb. Burned remains were found in the park two days later near items she was believed to have been carrying. It took about a week for forensic experts to confirm the remains were human, but they were too badly burned for positive identification.

The remains, believed to be Keller’s, are undergoing DNA analysis. DeKalb Police Chief Bill Feithen said that analysis is likely to take about a month before it is complete.

Curl was charged Oct. 29 with the five counts of murder, as well as with one count each of sexual assault, arson, obstructing justice and unlawful possession of a converted motor vehicle. Two of the charges Curl is facing make him potentially eligible for the death penalty. Curl has not yet entered a plea on the charges he is facing. He is being held in the county jail on $5,065,000 bond. He would need to post $506,500 in order to be released from jail. He has indicated in court that he will not be able to post that amount.

Curl is next due in court Jan. 6.

 

[twinkiesmom]

According to the Trib article today, they do have the shoes, but the testing still needs to be done.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-niu-killing-evidence-20101209,0,2253588.story

 

[AmandaReckonwith]

Case archive album

http://s296.photobucket.com/albums/mm166/crankycrankerson/Antinette%20Toni%20Keller%20%20-IL-/

 

[Joe Friday]

FYI this was just posted in the chronicle
http://www.daily-chronicle.com/2010/12/09/prosecutors-provide-evidence-to-curls-attorney/a6tz0m1/

SYCAMORE – Prosecutors on Thursday provided some of the evidence they have in the case of a missing Northern Illinois University student to the defense attorney of the man accused of killing her.

In a court appearance Thursday morning at the DeKalb County Courthouse in Sycamore, prosecutors provided discovery items to DeKalb County Public Defender Regina Harris, who has been appointed to represent William “Billy” Curl.

DeKalb County First Assistant State's Attorney Bill Engerman said in court that the items includes police reports, photos, DVD recordings of interviews, and surveillance video from Taco Bell, Casey's General Store and 7-Eleven.

Curl has been charged with five counts of first-degree murder in the apparent death of 18-year-old NIU freshman Antinette “Toni” Keller of Plainfield. Keller disappeared Oct. 14 after telling friends she was going for a walk in Prairie Park in DeKalb. Burned remains were found in the park two days later near items she was believed to have been carrying. It took about a week for forensic experts to confirm the remains were human, but they were too badly burned for positive identification.

The remains, believed to be Keller’s, are undergoing DNA analysis. DeKalb Police Chief Bill Feithen said that analysis is likely to take about a month before it is complete.

Curl was charged Oct. 29 with the five counts of murder, as well as with one count each of sexual assault, arson, obstructing justice and unlawful possession of a converted motor vehicle. Two of the charges Curl is facing make him potentially eligible for the death penalty. Curl has not yet entered a plea on the charges he is facing. He is being held in the county jail on $5,065,000 bond. He would need to post $506,500 in order to be released from jail. He has indicated in court that he will not be able to post that amount.

Curl is next due in court Jan. 6.

Surveillance video from different stores that would sell gasoline is very interesting. I'm wondering if LE has video of Billy dispensing gasoline from a gas pump into a gas can or some other form of container that he would have used to carry gasoline to the park to help in burning her body.

JMO

 

[Woe.be.gone]

Surveillance video from different stores that would sell gasoline is very interesting. I'm wondering if LE has video of Billy dispensing gasoline from a gas pump into a gas can or some other form of container that he would have used to carry gasoline to the park to help in burning her body.

JMO

Your're smart/good at this. I was wondering :waitasec: what the store surveillance has to do with the case. You teach us how to look at the clues within the clues. Thank you.

In the article written for the Northern Star, the campus newspaper, they say that Regina Harris doesn't want WC to plead until she can review his psychological tests. She doesn't expect to have them for another six weeks. She stated that on December 9. Upon reading her statement, it sounds as if she is thinking he did the crime and the only thing she will have to defend him will be based upon his mental state. Am I assuming too much?

http://northernstar.info/campus/article_2fc9973c-03bc-11e0-b8b6-0017a4a78c22.html

 

[niuparent]

In the article that woe.be.gone mentioned,
Regina Harris is quoted, "He's had a long mental health history and educational issues as well, so I'm looking into all of that at this point," she said.
Harris said Curl has been hospitalized for mental health issues in the past.

What puzzles me is that the article also states the following:
Bill Engerman, DeKalb County first assistant state's attorney, said there has been no formal request for a psychological evaluation of Curl, and a judge has not ordered one.

It sounds contradictory to me:waitasec:

 

[twinkiesmom]

Toni was positively IDed by DNA...Article in Chicago Tribune today.

www.chicagotribune.com

 

[niuparent]

Here's another article that mentions how Toni Keller's positive identification was made via saliva samples taken from her mother and father, and matched to DNA taken from a femur bone: http://www.kcchronicle.com/articles/2011/01/06/47584334/index.xml

On WBBM-780 AM radio today, they also said his attorney was still awaiting results from Curl's psychological testing, and he hasn't yet entered a plea. His next court date is scheduled for Feb. 17th.

 

[Woe.be.gone]

http://northernstar.info/

Just a headline as they are currently on break.

 

[Woe.be.gone]

Here's another article that mentions how Toni Keller's positive identification was made via saliva samples taken from her mother and father, and matched to DNA taken from a femur bone: http://www.kcchronicle.com/articles/2011/01/06/47584334/index.xml

On WBBM-780 AM radio today, they also said his attorney was still awaiting results from Curl's psychological testing, and he hasn't yet entered a plea. His next court date is scheduled for Feb. 17th.

The article above is thorough and recaps the case thus far. Thanks niuparent. WC's sister has spoken up again regarding her belief that her brother is 'the wrong man' and is innocent. How long will it be until the trial begins after all the evaluations are completed - anybody have any idea?

 

[Cubby]

The article above is thorough and recaps the case thus far. Thanks niuparent. WC's sister has spoken up again regarding her belief that her brother is 'the wrong man' and is innocent. How long will it be until the trial begins after all the evaluations are completed - anybody have any idea?

No idea how long it will be until the trial starts. I had thought about WC not being fit to stand trial, but I don't see that as possible considering he was fit enough to plan his escape to Mexico and then LA.

As for WC's sister, he made a statement to LE he threw his shoes away because he couldn't get Antinette's blood off of them. Kind of hard to explain that away, amongst what I am sure is a lot more evidence obtained by LE.

jmo

 

[niuparent]

The newspaper link I gave on Jan. 6th is now "archived" and is only available on a "pay per view" basis. Here is a link to a similarly descriptive article: http://www.saukvalley.com/articles/2011/01/07/r_b4t4maoitz6fkap25pl6a/index.xml

 

[Lissa2002]

Curl indicted in murder of Antinette Keller
By BILL BRAKSICK

SYCAMORE – A DeKalb County grand jury his indicted William "Billy" Curl in the murder of Northern Illinois University student Antinette "Toni" Keller.


Curl, a DeKalb resident, has been in the DeKalb County Jail on $5 million bond since his arrest in October. At that time, he was charged with five counts of first-degree murder, one count of concealing a homicidal death, one count of arson and one count of criminal sexual assault.

The grand jury indicted Curl on all eight counts; the papers were filed with the DeKalb County Circuit Court on Friday, according to Curl's court file.

A grand jury investigates accusations against a person charged with a crime and indicts them if there is sufficient evidence that he or she committed that crime. A grand jury hears evidence brought by the prosecutor, not the defense.

DeKalb Daily Chronicle Curl indicted in murder of Antinette Keller

 

[Lissa2002]

http://www.daily-chronicle.com/2011/02/17/curls-attorney-client-will-plead-not-guilty-to-killing-toni-keller/a6tkgk2/

By BILL BRAKSICK - [email protected]

SYCAMORE – The attorney for a DeKalb man accused of killing Northern Illinois University student Antinette "Toni" Keller said her client will plead not guilty to the charges he is facing when arraigned next week.

An arraignment hearing has been scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday for William "Billy" Curl, who is accused of murdering Keller in October. An arraignment is where a person accused of a crime enters a plea against that charge.

Curl is represented by DeKalb County Public Defender Regina Harris. She said a psychological evaluation on her client is still underway but has been completed sufficiently enough to show that he is fit to stand trial. Harris said Thursday morning that Curl will plead not guilty at his arraignment.

Curl, 34, has been charged with five counts of first-degree murder, one count of concealing a homicidal death, one count of arson and one count of criminal sexual assault. A grand jury indicted Curl on all eight counts last month.

DeKalb County State's Attorney Clay Campbell said the arraignment is an important part of the criminal case process and all interested parties want to be present, especially the Keller family.


Once Curl has been arraigned, Campbell will have 120 days to decide whether to seek the death penalty.

"It's the law of the land until the governor says otherwise and its a consideration in this case," Campbell said.

Keller disappeared on Oct. 14, after telling friends she intended to take a walk in Prairie Park. Burned remains were later found in the park. It was not until January that DNA testing confirmed the remains were Keller's.

Curl was arrested Oct. 26 in Louisiana, where he was looking for work. He was returned to Illinois, and since then has been held in DeKalb County Jail on more than $5 million bond.

 

[TallCoolOne]

Hmmmm........ I thought he confessed to LE?

 

[Lissa2002]

Hmmmm........ I thought he confessed to LE?

I was thinking the same thing. But, innocent people have been known to confess to crimes they didn't commit. Not saying that is the case here, but it will be interesting to see what transpires and what the defense presents as their defense at trial - if it goes to trial. If they are looking at a possible death sentence, I doubt they'd plead anything but innocent at this point - until they can possibly strike a deal with prosecution to take the death penalty off the table anyway.

 

[Lissa2002]

Curl's arraignment was held at 1:30 today. Here's an article from the Northern Star regarding the arraignment: http://northernstar.info/city/article_b1d1da6e-3ed1-11e0-b469-00127992bc8b.html

From the article:

Curl did not waive his right to a jury trial during the arraignment, but may do so at any time, said Curl’s public defender Regina Harris.

She said Curl’s plea could also change at any time.

Curl wore an orange jail jumpsuit and navy blue slip-on shoes chained together. After reading every charge, Stuckert asked Curl if he understood the charge and its possible penalties.

He responded with “yeah” or nodded his head for each charge.

Curl appeared before Stuckert for the first time in-person at the DeKalb County Courthouse since being charged. He had previously appeared via live closed-circuit TV from the DeKalb County Jail.

Harris said defendants can find it nerve-wracking to appear in court, but it helps them to understand the legal process.

“Being on video tends to distance them emotionally a little bit from the process,” Harris said, “While [Curl] was nervous, I think that in some ways he was more comprehending of everything that was happening because he could hear everything, could see the judge face to face.”

Clay Campbell, DeKalb County State’s Attorney, declined to comment on the arraignment.

He confirmed that two members of Keller’s family were present during the proceedings.

Curl’s sister Moria said she sees her brother twice a week and had visited him Tuesday morning before attending the arraignment.

“We wish justice,” she said. “Both sides deserve it; Toni, more than anyone.”

Moria said Curl is holding up as well as expected.

“I can’t wait until the day his name is cleared,” she said.

Curl’s next status update will be at 1:15 p.m. on March 23 at the DeKalb County Courthouse.

Harris said she expects to receive more evidence from the state at that time.

 

[TallCoolOne]

IMO but me thinks she's going to have a very long wait then if she can't wait until the day his name is cleared..........

 

[UdbCrzy2]

State’s Attorney Clay Campbell asked Circuit Judge Robbin Stuckert to set a hearing date on the matter as soon as possible.

“I think it’s safe to say the family is suffering,” he told local media.

Campbell added, “…It is the opinion of the state that these remains can be released to the family without compromising Mr. Curl’s right to a fair trial.”

Nonetheless, Curl’s attorney, Public Defender Regina Harris, wants Toni’s remains to be examined by a forensics expert.

“I have to know what I agree to release doesn’t have evidentiary significance for any potential trial,” she said.

Judge Stuckert is expected to make a decision regarding Toni's remains by next week.
http://www.examiner.com/crime-in-na...n-wants-remains-of-slain-niu-student-released