Murder in Illinois

Murder in Illinois

In 2007, Chris Vaughn was arrested during a funeral for his wife and three children. He would be tried and convicted of their murders. To this day he maintains no memory of what occurred that tragic day 20 years ago. Murder in Illinois follows the complicated circumstances that led to Vaughn’s conviction, as well as the forensic evidence his supporters believe proves his innocence- in attempt to answer one question: Who killed the Vaughn family?

Episodes

April 20, 2023 43 mins

On the evening of October 30, 1994, Marcus Boyd and Greg Elking were sitting on Marcus’s front porch in St. Louis, MO when two men, wearing ski masks and armed with guns, ambushed them and shot Marcus several times leading to his death. Police gathered that 20 year old Lamar Johnson may have had a conflict with Marcus, so Lamar became a prime suspect. Based on fabricated identifications and the word of a jailhouse snitch, Lamar was...

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In the 1980s crime journalist Phil Stanford dove into the decadent and dangerous world of Miami just as the city was becoming the cocaine- and murder- capital of the United States. His path would place him in the crosshairs of a federal investigation focusing on a mysterious and controversial drug smuggling pilot who claimed to be an operative of the American government- all while flaunting his extensive illicit activity. Murder in...

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September 23, 2021 38 mins

The final episode of Murder in Illinois summarizes the case against Christopher Vaughn, the new evidence uncovered in the podcast, updates his legal status and revisits those involved for their final thoughts.

 

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September 16, 2021 48 mins

Lauren Bright Pacheco finally meets Chris Vaughn in person before Bill Clutter mounts an ambitious crime scene reconstruction. Crime Scene Technician Katie Hartman strenuously tests the scenarios put forth by both the prosecution and defense before weighing in with her thoughts on what took place June 14th, 2007.

 

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September 9, 2021 46 mins

Chris Vaughn possibly lands significant support when social justice activist and host of the Wrongful Convictions podcast, Jason Flom, agrees to look into his case. Bill Clutter also uncovers a troubling aspect to the timeline and testimony that secured Vaughn’s indictment in 2007.

 

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September 2, 2021 41 mins

Written words have played a variety of roles throughout the history of this tragedy. They’ve been used to insinuate, accuse and incriminate but they also offer insight and revelations potentially resulting in new evidence.

 

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August 26, 2021 47 mins

Fourteen years after Christopher Vaughn was sentenced to four consecutive life terms for the murders of his wife and three children we revisit the evidence that led to his conviction. In this episode we’ll break down the circumstantial and forensic evidence that possibly led to a conviction based on what could be emotional and confirmation bias.

 

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August 19, 2021 44 mins

In August of 2012, five years after his arrest before his family’s funeral in June 2007, Christopher Vaughn’s murder trail began. The Will County State’s Attorney’s office originally sought the death penalty, which has since been abolished in Illinois. As a result, Vaughn’s original defense was dismantled and he headed to court represented by a public defender.

 

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August 12, 2021 41 mins

As Vaughn faces the death penalty, his initial defense team is faced with increasingly negative optics and overcoming significant gaps in Chris’s recollection of the killings. Four years into mounting a case for Vaughn’s innocence, their efforts are rendered useless.

 

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August 5, 2021 45 mins

As Christopher Vaughn prepares to bury his wife and three children, handcuffs are placed on his wrists.

 

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July 29, 2021 41 mins

Gail receives an unfathomable call as news of the horrific family massacre dominates the media. Chris Vaughn is interrogated, while still in a hospital gown, within hours of the killings.

 

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July 22, 2021 43 mins

As a young couple Kimberly and Christopher struggle with financial insecurity, the pressures of parenting and the growing dysfunction between their two families.

 

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July 15, 2021 42 mins

Before Christopher Vaughn was known as a convicted killer, he was a son and a brother in the Vaughn family of Missouri, the eldest of Gail and Pierre Vaughn’s three boys. He would meet his wife- and become a father- while he was still a teenager.

 

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July 8, 2021 41 mins

In the quiet pre-dawn hours of June 14th, 2007 the Vaughn family- Christopher, his wife Kimberly and their three children- set out for an impromptu trip to a waterpark. The family would never arrive.

 

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July 1, 2021 3 mins

Trailer 2 - On July 8th, we re-examine a case that’s been tightly closed to shed light on whether Christopher Vaughn was justly charged, tried and convicted- and explore whether pertinent facts and later developments that could have been utilized in his defense were overlooked or ignored.

 

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June 22, 2021 3 mins

Trailer 1 - In 2007, Chris Vaughn was arrested during a funeral for his wife and three children. He would be tried and convicted of their murders. To this day he maintains no memory of what occurred that tragic day 14 years ago. Murder in Illinois follows the complicated circumstances that led to Vaughn’s conviction, as well as the forensic evidence his supporters believe proves his innocence-in attempt to answer one question: Who ...

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January 9, 2020 40 mins

In the final episode of Murder in Oregon, Phil, the Francke brothers and Mike’s friends and colleagues share their thoughts on Michael Francke, his murder and the individuals who’ve avoided justice for the past thirty years.

 

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January 2, 2020 42 mins

The past ten episodes have been driven by the question: Who killed Michael Francke? Here is a recapitulation of the players, timeline, evidence covered... And a huge development regarding Frank Gable’s fight for freedom.

 

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December 26, 2019 33 mins

Throughout this podcast we've seen the victimization of people caught in the crosshairs of politics and corruption. Lives twisted or destroyed by those with great power and little accountability. This episode addresses one of the darkest political scandals in Oregon's history - a woman deeply damaged as a result of a childhood disrupted, by a man who became one of the most powerful men in Oregon...and how that scandal played into t...

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December 19, 2019 42 mins

A sworn statement, unearthed in 2004, presents some very damning information involving one of Michael Francke's former co-workers. It also could have greatly aided in the defense of Frank Gable, were it presented during his trial. That document, along with others, sparks renewed interest in the Francke murder and once again places Phil at odds with his former employer.

 

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