The timing was less than ideal for the couple. Later that same afternoon, detective Michael Guilfoyle took Tyler to the Fox family's home. Kevin says Swearengen's tone changed abruptly. "When I reached out to Kevin and said, I believe you,' I think they got pissed." Her mouth had been covered with duct tape, and adhesive residue on her arms led authorities to surmise she had been bound. "Everything's going to be OK," she told him. A steady drizzle fell, while inside, mourners wept to a slide-show collage set to the songs "My Girl" and Sarah McLachlan's "Angel." "So when you send something to the lab, you monitor it," the Tribune quoted Glasgow as saying. "Riley is in the room with you right now," the lawsuit quotes Guilfoyle as saying. Next. Why can't I see my husband!'" Phone: (910) 343-3900. . She'd be a great big sister.". "I had never even met him before and he was just screaming in my face. "You're overcome by grief. ), The detectives then took Kevin back to the interrogation room and resumed the questioning, according to the lawsuit. "Something didn't feel right," Chad recalls. Northwestern University School of Law's Center on Wrongful Convictions reports that 60 percent of the 42 wrongful murder convictions since 1970 in Illinois have rested in whole or in part on false confessions. Rebekah grew up in the Midwest and received her Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Communications and Theater from North . To the people who knew Kevin Fox, the hearing seemed unreal. Many other people assumed he was guilty. Finally, Kevin claims in the suit, he was shown pictures of his dead daughter, her mouth still covered with duct tape, nude from the waist down, taken moments after she had been pulled from the creek. "For a state's attorney not to know of such a meeting of his detectives in such a high-profile case would be unheard of," she claims. In preparation for the possible interrogation, the detectives contacted several polygraph experts, including Fred Hunter, a Hinsdale-based examiner with more than 30,000 tests under his belt. 2 bds; 1 ba; 1,000 sqft - Active. Christmas passed with Kevin still in jail, then New Year's, and Kevin's 28th birthday on January 4th. Another resident told the paper, "It's what a lot of people suspected.". "Let the little children come to me," said the Rev. Why would Tyler say Kevin had walked out during the night with Riley? "No." Yet before dawn Saturday, the former church deacon shot and killed each of his three young sons as they lay sleeping. When Judge Dan Rozak dismissed the case, the courtroom exploded into applause and cheering. In the cold, shallow, murky water of Forked Creek, Riley's body floated, face-down. He wore a red jump suit and was shackled at the legs and hands. Zellner says she also was struck by the unwavering belief in Kevin's innocence by the family, particularly Melissa. Protocols should be revised and people in positions of authority need to be accoutable for their actions! "I felt like a zoo animal.". Delaware State Police have arrested 26-year-old Damiean Turner of East New Market, Maryland, for firearm and traffic-related offenses. Its 4.2 square miles occupy a rural stretch of old Route 66 (now Route 53) and offer the picture-perfect icons of Midwestern America. ", Shortly after the bond hearing, Tomczak, Will County Sheriff Paul Kaupas, and other authorities held a press conference outside the Wilmington police station. . Ke 11 Share Not fair! (Today, Jacobson tells Chicago that she later "felt awful" and regretted the report. But as the summer wore on, they came to believe that the investigation was dragging. Twitter Lhamo. They urged Kevin to hire an attorney. Fox's lawsuit alleges that the meeting was conducted with Tomczak's support and consent. When it was over, Williams told Kevin that he had failed. The lab had said the results would arrive around 6 p.m. Maryland Man Arrested After Crashing Stolen Vehicle. But after briefly talking to one lawyer, Kevin dismissed the idea. By midnight that night, Kevin says, the detectives had dropped all pretense of friendliness. With a huge smile on her face, she headed straight to her daddy, who scooped her up into his arms. "I'm not saying he shouldn't have been . Five months after the murder, the police claimed that Kevin had confessed to Rileys murder. Bad blood had existed between the men for years. The entire time, detective Edward Hayes, who would become the lead detective on the case, watches from the other side of a one-way mirror. Kevin Corke currently serves as an FNC correspondent based in Washington, DC. But Zellner, who has viewed a copy of the videotape, says it's too fuzzy to make out a license plate or even to positively identify any vehicle. It is heartbreaking to see such a devoted and doting father go through the seemingly never-ending and painful ordeal of losing his daughter and his entire family. By the afternoon, more than 500 people were scouring the area, some on horseback, others on bicycles or all-terrain vehicles. Kevin and Melissa have visited it many times, as they have Riley's grave in Wilmington's Oakwood Cemetery. "We were not happy about [Fox's release]," says Pat Barry, spokesman for the Will County Sheriff's Office. The claim triggered an investigation from a representative of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. the cops, the judge, the seeming confidence of the state's attorney, and, most of all, the confession. By most accounts, Kevin Dale Fox was a devoutly religious man and a loving father. (Lyons did not return calls seeking comment.). Indeed, by late October of 2004 Kevin was the prime suspect. "I knew he was innocent, and I knew my family was in for the fight of its life," he says. Kevin Fox was initially charged with his daughter's June 2004 murder. "We think you were involved." NewsBreak provides latest and breaking Wilmington, IL local news, weather forecast, crime and safety reports, traffic updates, event notices, sports, entertainment, local life and other items of interest in the community and nearby towns. Previously, he was a national news correspondent based in Washington, D.C. for NBC News from 2004-2008. "They thought they had me convinced," she says. Kaupas acknowledged that the detectives had had no substantial new evidence when they called in Kevin. See what happens, when you dont look close enough, mistakes are made. ", The couple held hands as they made their way across the parking lot to the Will County sheriff's office in Joliet at about 7:30 that night. "I've had other families come in a situation like this and they've had some hesitancy-Well, he's always been kind of troubled but I don't think he'd do anything violent.' "They found her at Forsythe Woods," Curt answered in a broken voice. Melissa says that Swearengen told her about the videotape of the car and about Tyler's statement and then laid out an "accident" scenario for the death of Riley. His voice trails off. After a brief reunion with Melissa and Tyler, Kevin emerged from the jail with his arms raised in triumph and stood before a mob scene of cameras and well-wishers. The boy shakes his head. One study suggests that, though rare, it happens. Harder still was the family portrait with Riley in her princess dress and white satin slippers. Who would admit to such horrible things if he hadn't really done them? The next day, Kevin Fox's DNA was compared with the sample. . Select the best result to find their address, phone number, relatives, and public records. In his 2007 budget, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich included a similar initiative that would add eight forensic scientists to the state's crime labs. While much of his work there involved coverage of the Bush Administration as a member of . "We really tried to stay the course," he told reporters. Immediately, we both started crying. Guilfoyle reported that Tyler claimed he stood in the kitchen and saw his father using the clothes dryer after he returned. Pat Barry insists that Tomczak knew nothing of the meeting, and that, no matter how questionable the timing appears, politics had nothing to do with it. She was wearing the same "princess dress" she had picked out and worn as a flower girl in Chad and Stacy's wedding. 31 Largemouth Ln, Wilmington, IL 60481. . "Todd, what the hell! On this night, however, leafing through a picture book, with Kevin holding Teagan, and Tyler peering over Melissa's shoulder, they can smile when they reach the photograph of the happy family they once were, when the biggest worries were a best man's toast and a little girl wanting to stand beside her daddy. For Chad, the fight to clear his kid brother's name became a crusade. On 27 October 2004, investigators from the Will County, Illinois Sheriff's Office coerced a false confession from Kevin Fox to the sexual molestation and murder of his four-year-old daughter following a polygraph "test" administered by polygrapher Richard Williams. While I was very interested in reading this well-written story; it breaks my heart to think of the Fox family losing their daughter and then on top of such a nightmare, the family has to be tortured even more! Even though the court paid Kevin and his wife $15.5 million (later reduced to $8.5 million) as compensation for the ordeal, Kevin said he could never recover his reputation in the town. Kevin Fox, Rileys father, was affected a lot as he was still in mourning when he was seen as the prime suspect and even put in jail for the same. Kenneth J. Williams told Kevin that if he passed he would be cleared in his daughter's death, according to the lawsuit; if he failed, he would be charged with murder. At 12:20 a.m. on October 27th, according to the detectives' summary of events, detective Richard Williams arrived to administer the exam. Facebook gives people the power to share. In less than an hour, it seemed the whole town had turned out. The case has set in motion a series of events that bitterly divided what had been a neighborly town; cast a shadow of suspicion over a tight-knit, well-respected family; and raised questions about whether justice was forsaken for personal and political ambitions. Join Facebook to connect with Kevin Fox and others you may know. And what were the circumstances of the "confession"? Kevin and Melissa met while in high school together, and they quickly took to each other and fell in love. Ultimately the detectives went with a far less experienced examiner-Richard C. Williams, a Cook County detective who, according to the Fox lawsuit, had conducted only about 90 tests. Tyler, the six-year-old spitting image of his dad, bore the ring; beside him toddled Tyler's three-year-old sister, Riley. "When I saw the pictures . Kankakee, IL (60901) Today. Melissa Fox is the mother of Riley fox and the then-wife of Kevin Fox. . I wanted to see if I could find anything in those pictures that would help me figure out for myself what had happened, who had done this to my baby. As Glasgow spoke, Kevin began to weep. The family will receive friends for a memorial visitation on Saturday, March 4, 2023 at Baskerville Funeral Home, 700 E. Kahler Rd., in Wilmington from 12 p.m. until the time of memorial service at 4 p.m. Roger will be laid to rest at Mt. Visitation Friday, March 28th, 3 to 9 p.m. Funeral Saturday, 9:45 a.m., to St. Symphorosa Church. On a recent April evening, however, their attentions are devoted to gentler undertakings: their new baby girl, Teagan, who was born on March 8th. She wore a flamingo decorated T-shirt, dirtied now by mud and silt. He took his friend and Melissas brother along while leaving the children in the care of Melissas mother. The lab had found a man's saliva-just enough to extract a full DNA profile. Also added were the polygraph examiner, Richard C. Williams, Pluth, Kaupas, and a jail guard. "If you saw one, generally the other was right behind," Curt Fox says. He admitted placing her on the bank of the river, under the water. Among the questions the two men fielded were queries about whether politics influenced the timing of the interrogation. Meanwhile, the mystery of what happened to Riley Fox remains. Experts on interrogation and false confessions say that's not uncommon. Instead, she marched up the marble stairs and past the groom. Greater Philadelphia. He had suffered threats and the ridicule of guards, according to his lawsuit. He says the police told him he was right not to panic, that "in a lot of cases a child wanders off, and they can't find them at first." Select the best result to find their address, phone number, relatives, and public records. In a case that saw numerous twists and even a false arrest, justice was finally delivered when the perpetrator was caught and made to pay for his crimes. "We'll see," the defense attorney shot back. The band broke into song. For the first time publicly, Kevin and his wife, Melissa, talk about their ordeal, an account of pain, mystery, and undying faith, wrapped around an enduring tragedy. Best MatchPowered by Whitepages Premium Best MatchPowered by Whitepages Premium Best Match Kevin Edward Fox Morrilton, AR (previously lived in Wilmington, IL) AGE 40s AGE 40s Kevin Edward Fox Next. ", The town of Wilmington, struggling to heal, tends a small garden that honors Riley's memory. We've got to get this to the laboratory so that we can process it quickly.'" The enormity of what had just happened, what he had just done, had not yet sunk in. Chad recalls the moment vividly: "Kevin looked at me and said, I didn't do this. 81/63F. They simply broke him down psychologically to a point where he believed that the only way he was going to get this nightmare to stop was to confess. Riley Fox story: '20/20' unveils new details in Wilmington girl's death Braidwood mayor charged with DUI after 3-car crash Victim ID'd in deadly crash on I-55 near Wilmington "What kind of Cracker-Jack-box cops don't have the decency to tell the parents of a murdered little girl that their daughter is dead?" He yelled, Your fucking husband killed your fucking daughter and he doesn't love you or her. [1] After Riley's father was initially accused and then cleared by DNA evidence, paroled convict Scott Eby confessed to the crime and was convicted. Five months after three-year-old Riley Fox of Wilmington was brutally murdered, her father, Kevin, confessed following a long night with Will County detectives. Around 2:15, he went to the bathroom and swung the door open quickly, striking Riley and knocking her down. A few years later, Kevin and Melissa became proud parents of baby Riley, and the family seemed to be quite happy. After Kevin graduated high school and entered college, Melissa got pregnant with their first child Tyler. ", Today, Zellner says that what impressed her was Kevin's immediate denial of the crime. "The state's attorney's office at that point needs to get involved and say, Wait a minute. Most important, Kevin says, he trusted the detectives' motives. "I swear to God I didn't do it." . "If someone was abusing my child, I would have known about it. Before that, she was a television news reporter for ABC and FOX affiliates in North Carolina and Illinois. All told, Kevin was interrogated that night for more than 14 hours; only 20 minutes were taped. "They made me sit in a room for 45 minutes," Melissa says, still furious at the memory. "Where did he take Riley? Beyond that, she says, the details left several obvious questions unanswered. If you say it was an accident, it's involuntary manslaughter with a three to five year sentence. Grey Fox Wealth is an independent fiduciary that provides comprehensive financial planning services, wealth management solutions, and direct access . . Later, when speaking about his experience after getting out of jail, he said, I still had people coming up to me and saying I was a child killer, child molester and threatening to shoot me and my dog. Melissa added to this by saying that people ceased to trust them, and children werent allowed to have sleepovers at their house. BBB File Opened: 12/28/2015. , Inc. holds real estate brokerage licenses in multiple provinces. "I hated leaving him there," Chad says. 1983 and Illinois law, claiming that Will County detectives Edward Hayes, Michael Guilfoyle, Scott Swearengen, Brad Wachtl, John Ruettiger (who died before the trial), and several other parties who have since settled or been . "So just say you did it." But now that I have a wonderful wife, and the two most beautiful children in the world, you get to finally follow me and make a family. The collection of friends, family, reporters, and onlookers watched as Kevin Fox, red-eyed and shell-shocked, shuffled into the courtroom. We wanted to know if they had found out what had happened. Before putting the girl in the water, he inserted his finger inside her to make it look like she had been sexually assaulted. "He was crying," she recalls. . Police would reveal nothing. Riley's pediatrician has said there was never a hint of prior sexual abuse. She was three years old at the time of her death. The Las Vegas trip was to attend a friend's wedding and had been planned and paid for months before Riley's death. People wonder: who would do it? The suit claimed. Most of those who knew Kevin and the rest of the Fox family believed in his innocence. 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