GUILTY IL - Kelli O'Laughlin, 14, stabbed to death, Indian Head Park, 27 Oct 2011

[tiredblondy]

The timing is extremely disturbing. As is the degree of violence. I understand daylight burglaries - everybody is out of the house, but it seems odd that it was during the "after school" time - when it starts filling up again. I don't know what the coin connection is. I have a feeling there is a good deal that is not being said. I don't want to over sleuth this or post here too much. I want this sick caught.

I understand totally. The only way I can understand that time for a robbery is someone in desperate need of a fix!

Sometimes a case just grabs you and this one grabbed me.

Do you think it really is the man they have in custody

I never thought to tell my children if they ever come home and find the door open or anything suspicious to run to the neighbors not to go in the house. Might be good advice for parents now.

Please keep us posted! Thanks.

 

[tiredblondy]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/...township-high-school-20111030,0,2037211.story

Not sure if this has been posted yet but the coins are really not that big a deal. She must have surprised him before he spent a lot of time in there. This is sooooo sad and wrong!

OOps just wanted to correct what I said above, I found this information below and if they are gold coins they are worth money but the two smaller gold coins are not that rare. Maybe that's what threw me off. Here's the info and link.

Police also released images of rare gold coins that were missing from the home, hoping that a pawn shop employee might recognize them and call police. About four dozen officers from the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force are working on the case.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/...head-park-girl-14-walked-in-on-a-burglar.html

Also I just keep thinking about Kelli's mother, if it were me I'd be haunted the rest of my life thinking "if I had just gotten home sooner". My prayers to this family.

I sure hope they catch him!

 

[BigFatMommyDog]

We occasionally get copper piping (and the like) thefts - last one I remember was at a Church - just up the street during broad daylight. For the most part this really is Mayberry - kids come and go on bikes or on foot. IHP does sit in a prime location between access to two enormous interstate arteries - they have a no fence deed restriction in that area of IHP so there are very few barriers between yards. We get lots and lots and lots of service people in the area too - landscapers, contractors (and every other kind you can imagine).

I don't think they have him in custody.

And having raised my own DS here (not IHP but close) - I cannot imagine, I cannot imagine the pain. I would have gone mad.

 

[tiredblondy]

MommyDog is this house isolated somewhat from the others at all, like at the end of the street alone?

 

[BigFatMommyDog]

MommyDog is this house isolated somewhat from the others at all, like at the end of the street alone?

It's kind of on a corner the road runs in and an "L" shape (begins east to west, turns 90 degrees and runs north to south) - house sits just about on that turn, but other houses near

the block and street name have been published - it's at the bottom of a hill, very near a park.

Ironically - the burglaries in the neighborhood previously have been attributed/speculated to be thieves using google earth to target them

 

[Quiche]

Just devastating! My prayers go up for her family, friends, and the community at large...

It occurs to me that the perp may have been a teenager-- that would answer why would someone kill a child (for them, more of a peer?), the afternoon hours (before they had to be home themselves), the coins (seems pretty specific, did they know of them?).

I hope someone is caught soon, but if the other burglaries stop, I think it would reinforce the possibility that the perp was personally familiar with the neighborhood (rather than google earth).

jmo

 

[fran]

Police, residents search for answers in Indian Head Park teen's death

Classes resume at victim's high school

November 1, 2011
On Monday, Alonzo would only say that the man had been picked up around the same time as the slaying.

A reward fund leading to a conviction in the case has grown to more than $50,000, he said.

......................... snip ............................

Jennifer Bialobok, spokeswoman for the high school, said in a statement that counselors and social workers will be available all week.

"As you can imagine, the effects of the recent tragedy are being felt throughout the building by both faculty and staff," the statement said.

Kelli was known by friends and classmates for her personality and smile as well as for her skill at tennis.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday in Hallowell & James Funeral Home in Countryside.

A funeral will be held at 9:45 a.m. Friday in St. John of the Cross Church in Western Springs.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< full article at link >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-indian-head-park-death1101-20111101,0,401142.story

 

[MorenoI]

So senseless...Im sure the girl would have let him get away and she was def. no threat to this man! RIP Kelli....

 

[LaWanda]

There's another thread on this in the Crimes in the News forum: Kelli - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

Prayers for Kelli's Mother.

 

[twinkiesmom]

It occurs to me that the perp may have been a teenager-- that would answer why would someone kill a child (for them, more of a peer?), the afternoon hours (before they had to be home themselves), the coins (seems pretty specific, did they know of them?).


jmo

It's statistically unlikely to have been a classmate given the demographics of the school vs. the description of the perp.

http://www.lths.net/export/sites/LTHS/_resources/PDF/2007-2008_FINAL_merged.pdf

 

[BigFatMommyDog]

It's statistically unlikely to have been a classmate given the demographics of the school vs. the description of the perp.

http://www.lths.net/export/sites/LTHS/_resources/PDF/2007-2008_FINAL_merged.pdf

Respect - but it is entirely possible - perhaps not probable, but possible*. Moreover with the number of people in the neighborhood (workers, etc) it is possible that the perp was just passing thru...

We've had a rape in the Highlands attributed to a kid selling magazines (one of those notorious companies) and a murder of a libraian in Brookfield attributed to a druggie (local) that she tried to help.

The kid that burgled me was as - oy - white, clean, god-fearing, church-going and of course very well known to me - what wasn't known to me was his "decision" to use (and subsequently become addicted to) heroin

 

[deelytful1]

OMG Kelli.. I'm so sorry.
Are any of us ever safe???
Too much evil in this world
My thoughts and prayers are with u and your family, Kelli. RIP
OT: I really hate when the media has to use "slain girl" in the headline.. use her NAME! sigh...

 

[twinkiesmom]

Respect - but it is entirely possible - perhaps not probable, but possible*. Moreover with the number of people in the neighborhood (workers, etc) it is possible that the perp was just passing thru...

We've had a rape in the Highlands attributed to a kid selling magazines (one of those notorious companies) and a murder of a libraian in Brookfield attributed to a druggie (local) that she tried to help.

The kid that burgled me was as - oy - white, clean, god-fearing, church-going and of course very well known to me - what wasn't known to me was his "decision" to use (and subsequently become addicted to) heroin

I thought they were specifically looking for a black male perp in this case based on an eyewitness.
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/240780/20111031/kelli-o-laughlin-funeral-set-friday-killer.htm

Just found info on the previous burglaries:
http://burrridge.suntimes.com/news/...olice-arrest-additional-burglary-suspect.html

These were also older male suspects...one allegedly came in the back and ended up face to face with a homeowner...These guys are probably still in custody, but the pattern of this crime seems the same.

More yikes on previous burglaries:
He typed in Google "expensive homes that run along the highway" then he used Google Earth to zoom in on the streets," said Sgt. Curt Novak.
http://www.41nbc.com/news/national-news/7961-man-uses-google-maps-to-plan-burglaries

But for the series of burglaries, I would agree that anyone could have committed this crime, even a youth. Drugs are rampant across many income levels.

I'm glad my mom doesn't answer the door to strangers.

 

[BigFatMommyDog]

I thought they were specifically looking for a black male perp in this case based on an eyewitness.
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/240780/20111031/kelli-o-laughlin-funeral-set-friday-killer.htm

Just found info on the previous burglaries:
http://burrridge.suntimes.com/news/...olice-arrest-additional-burglary-suspect.html

These were also older male suspects...one allegedly came in the back and ended up face to face with a homeowner...These guys are probably still in custody, but the pattern of this crime seems the same.

More yikes on previous burglaries:
He typed in Google "expensive homes that run along the highway" then he used Google Earth to zoom in on the streets," said Sgt. Curt Novak.
http://www.41nbc.com/news/national-news/7961-man-uses-google-maps-to-plan-burglaries

But for the series of burglaries, I would agree that anyone could have committed this crime, even a youth. Drugs are rampant across many income levels.

I'm glad my mom doesn't answer the door to strangers.

BBM

If I have to think about it - a good many of us (sigh) would tag the last person of color in the neighborhoodi (or lie, like Susan Smith) to prey upon our "fears". Could be, could very well be, but IMHO, that is our greatest weakness, we've lived a very (ahem) isolated life. You know what I mean. - I don't mean to diminish what the police are saying - but the "big black guy in the lily white neighborhood" is just a little...sigh...could be, could very well be, but it's just an easy out for the PDs to satisfy "our" notion of the perp...(with luck they are only telling us what they think we want to hear, and actually have some solid info)

 

[twinkiesmom]

BBM

If I have to think about it - a good many of us (sigh) would tag the last person of color in the neighborhoodi (or lie, like Susan Smith) to prey upon our "fears". Could be, could very well be, but IMHO, that is our greatest weakness, we've lived a very (ahem) isolated life. You know what I mean. - I don't mean to diminish what the police are saying - but the "big black guy in the lily white neighborhood" is just a little...sigh...could be, could very well be, but it's just an easy out for the PDs to satisfy "our" notion of the perp...(with luck they are only telling us what they think we want to hear, and actually have some solid info)

I know it's a very whitebread community having grown up 3 blocks from there....but I also recall that the drawing was made because the person was picked up from the neighborhood at the time of the murder. This is someone the cops need to clear regardless of his skin color.

I'm sure they've talked to the neighbors as to who was having work done on their houses or who had visitors canvassing for political purposes or door-to-door sales. If the man in the sketch was there for a legit purpose, the police would still want to talk to him to see if he saw the perp.

 

[twinkiesmom]

Suspect in custody:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/...l-there-are-no-words-20111102,0,3922664.story

 

[BigFatMommyDog]

Suspect in custody:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/...l-there-are-no-words-20111102,0,3922664.story

...Thanks, zoomed over here to post the same thing.

let's hope it's the perp.

 

[twinkiesmom]

Wow, just wow. Suspect was allegedly picked up by cab from the Hinsdale Oasis.

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=8416828

If this is true, the village needs to shut down this exit route. This is a burglar's dream..get dropped off in an upscale neighborhood and then walk through the woods to the rest stop..It's probably less than 1/4 mile out of the neighborhood and then less than 2 mi to the oasis...no sweat.

I used to ride bikes back there myself. This is so, so sad.

These burglaries are getting more and more brazen. There was just one in Willowbrook at 3 am (7 miles from IHP) in which the homeowner confronted the burglar.

 

[BigFatMommyDog]

Wow, just wow. Suspect was allegedly picked up by cab from the Hinsdale Oasis.

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=8416828

If this is true, the village needs to shut down this exit route. This is a burglar's dream..get dropped off in an upscale neighborhood and then walk through the woods to the rest stop..It's probably less than 1/4 mile out of the neighborhood and then less than 2 mi to the oasis...no sweat.

I used to ride bikes back there myself. This is so, so sad.

These burglaries are getting more and more brazen. There was just one in Willowbrook at 3 am (7 miles from IHP) in which the homeowner confronted the burglar.

You know - I really wondered if the oasis was involved, and if you look very carefully on the maps, with different views - there's really only one way in and out on foot. And it's right there.

 

[Disguiseduser0308]

I live extremely near to these areas so this story hit me pretty hard when I first read about it. Prayers for Kelli's family and friends. May justice be swift for dear Kelli.

I do hope that road leading to and from the Hinsdale Oasis is dealt with somehow. It's far too convenient of an escape route.