Illinois Man Accused of Killing Family Served Extradition Warrant
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A suburban Chicago man accused of killing his wife and three children was delivered an extradition warrant late Monday seeking to move him from Missouri to Illinois.
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Chris Vaughn was being held without bond in Missouri where he was arrested at a St. Charles, Mo., funeral home just hours before a memorial service for Kimberly Vaughn, 34, and the couple's children, Abigayle, 12, Cassandra, 11, and Blake, 8.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Vaughn's wife and three daughters were found shot to death June 14 in the family's parked sport utility vehicle along a service road near Channahon, about 40 miles southwest of Chicago, after a wounded Christopher Vaughn flagged down a motorist.
Vaughn, 32 — wearing an orange jail uniform, handcuffs and leg irons — said nothing during the brief hearing Monday, during which St. Charles County Associate Judge William Lohmar revoked a $1 million cash bond set earlier.
Vaughn is jailed in Missouri as an out-of-state fugitive, and prosecutors in Will County, Ill., have charged him with eight counts of first-degree murder — two for each victim.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He must be extradited to Illinois to face murder charges against him; Monday's hearing concerned only the fugitive charge.
On Monday afternoon, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed the extradition order for Vaughn, and Illinois State Police took it by plane to Missouri, said Blagojevich spokeswoman Rebecca Rausch.
Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt later issued a statement saying he had signed the order, which then was delivered to the St. Charles County sheriff's office, to ensure Vaughn "will be returned as quickly as possible to Illinois to face the crimes for which he is accused."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}It was unclear exactly when the matter would go before a judge, but at an afternoon news conference in Joliet, Ill., Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow said he hoped Vaughn would be returned as early as Tuesday.
Vaughn's extradition attorney, David Waltrip, said his client intends to plead not guilty to the fugitive count. Waltrip also has said Vaughn would challenge extradition and said as of Monday afternoon he had not seen any documentation from Illinois related to the issue.
Glasgow said he was confident any challenge would not significantly delay Vaughn's return to Illinois.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We are hopeful in the very near future that he could be delivered here to the Will County Jail to start the prosecution," Glasgow said.
After spending nearly an hour Monday afternoon with Vaughn at the St. Charles County Jail, Waltrip said his client was doing "as well as could be expected under the circumstances."
Waltrip said Vaughn had not retained an attorney to represent him on the Illinois murder counts, and Waltrip and jail officials were unaware of any visits to Vaughn from his family.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Vaughn was under surveillance by jail staff but was not on an official suicide watch, according to Waltrip and jail administrators.
Once Vaughn is returned to Illinois, Glasgow said his office would present evidence to a grand jury for an indictment. Meanwhile, he said his office is convening a committee to determine whether prosecutors will seek the death penalty in the case.
St. Charles County Prosecutor Jack Banas said outside court that the fugitive count would be dropped if and when Vaughn is returned to Illinois. Vaughn's next court date on the fugitive count is scheduled for July 25.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Illinois authorities have not divulged a possible motive for the slayings or publicly detailed the evidence, saying only that numerous interviews, forensic evidence, computer files and phone records led them to conclude that Christopher Vaughn killed his family.
Vaughn, a computer security consultant, had superficial gunshot wounds in the leg and arm, and his 9 mm handgun was found at the scene, authorities said. Kimberly Vaughn was shot once and the children each were shot twice, authorities said.
Prosecutors say Vaughn voluntarily met with investigators three times to answer questions before his arrest.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Originally from Missouri, the Vaughn family lived in Washington state before moving to the Chicago area about two years ago. They first lived in Aurora before buying a spacious house in Oswego last spring.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.