Jul 3, 2007 11:30 pm US/Central
Vaughn Back In Joliet To Face Murder Charges
Officials: Alleged Killer Of Wife, Children Will Be Held In Joliet
CBS 2 West Suburban Bureau Chief Mike Puccinelli, Katie McCall and the STNG Wire contributed to this report.
JOLIET, Ill. (CBS) ―
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Christopher Vaughn outside the Missouri funeral home where his wife and children were waked, the day before he was arrested and charged with their murder.
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Kimberly, Blake, Cassandra and Abigayle Vaughn (clockwise from top) were found shot to death in an SUV in Channahon Township Thursday morning (June 14, 2007).
CBS
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Christopher Vaughn, of Oswego, suspected of shooting and killing his wife and three children in the family's sport-utility vehicle last month, is back in Illinois, in custody in Will County after having traveled to Missouri for the family's funeral.
As CBS 2's Katie McCall reports, Vaughn did not make any statement as he walked into the jail Tuesday night.
As of 10 p.m. Tuesday he was being booked and was expected to begin going through a medical and psychiatric evaluation that will continue Wednesday.
Vaughn walked into the Will County jail, his hands and feet chained, escorted by Illinois State Police.
They drove him to Joliet just hours after he decided to stop fighting extradition in Missouri and face the murder charges against him in Illinois.
The will county sheriff says it is likely Vaughn will be held by himself, away from other inmates.
"It's going to be up to classification, but I'm going to say it's a strong possibility, we don't call it isolation, we call it special housing," said Will County Sheriff Paul Kaupas.
Vaughn was arrested as he was about to leave for his wife and children's funeral in St. Charles, Mo. He had attended their visitation the day before.
His wife, Kimberly Vaughn, 34, and their three children – Abigayle, 12; Cassandra, 11; and Blake, 8 – were all found dead on June 14 in a sport-utility vehicle parked on a narrow road to a cell phone tower in far southwest suburban Channahon Township. Christopher Vaughn was found at the scene suffering from a gunshot wound to the leg, which also grazed his arm.
Vaughn originally told police his wife shot him, their children and herself in a murder-suicide attempt, but authorities say they have evidence that Vaughn killed his family.
Vaughn has fought extradition since his arrest June 23, but Will County officials said Tuesday that he has decided to waive those proceedings.
"I am pleased that we will not have to go through a lengthy extradition battle that would have only served to delay Christopher Vaughn's inevitable return to Illinois,'' said Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow. "My office stands prepared to move forward promptly with legal proceedings that will bring Mr. Vaughn to trial.''
"He does not wish to pursue further appellate review," said Vaughn's attorney Dave Waltrip. "And that he wants to move forward with the case in Will County and defend himself against the charges that have been brought against him up there."
Vaughn will be held in Joliet until at least this Thursday afternoon, the first date when he could appear before a judge.
"Probably better for everyone that he go over to Illinois and start the legal process now of determining guilt or innocence rather that fight it out over here whether or not he would be extradited," said St. Charles Co. Prosecutor John Devouton.
Prosecutors allege Vaughn used his own 9 mm handgun to shoot his wife in the head, then each of his children twice.
Vaughn faces eight counts of first degree murder. There is no bond in this case.
Vaughn will not be permitted to have any visitors until after he makes a court appearance, which prosecutors believe will happen Thursday afternoon.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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