McHenry County Blog

A press release from the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office:

TIM SMITH SENTENCED TO 50 YEARS IN THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS FOR FIRST DEGREE MURDER

Louis A. Bianchi, McHenry County State’s Attorney, announces that Tim Smith, 28, formerly of Woodstock, was sentenced to 50 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for the offense of First Degree Murder.

This case was investigated by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department.

The victim, Kurt Milliman, had responded to a Craigslist ad which offered the services of a prostitute in exchange for money.

When Milliman arrived at the defendant’s home on 4320 Doty Road, Woodstock, IL, he met Kimberly Smith, the defendant’s wife.

The two started to have sexual relations, but Kimberly Smith abruptly stopped and an argument ensued.

The defendant then came out of a room where he had been hiding and shot Kurt Milliman in the back.

The defendant then damaged his home, smashed a window and called the police claiming someone had broken into the home and attacked his wife.

A subsequent investigation by the Sheriff’s Department revealed that the defendant had placed the ad on Craigslist and was “pimping” his wife for profit.

The defendant was interviewed by detectives and admitted to fabricating the story of the break-in and that he had been selling his wife for sex on the internet.

The case was prosecuted by Michael Combs, Chief of the Criminal Division of the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office, Patrick Kenneally and Andrew Mueller.

A press release from the McHenry County State’s Attorney:

TIM SMITH CONVICTED OF FIRST DEGREE MURDER

Louis A. Bianchi, McHenry County State’s Attorney, announces that Tim Smith, 28, formerly of Woodstock, was found guilty, after a five hour jury deliberation, of the offense of first degree murder.

This case was investigated by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department.

The victim, Kurt Milliman, had responded to a Craig’s List add which offered the services of a prostitute in exchange for money.

When Milliman arrived at the defendant’s home on 4320 Doty Road, Woodstock, IL, he met Kimberly Smith, the defendant’s wife.

The two started to have sexual relations, but Kimberly Smith abruptly stopped and an argument ensued.

The defendant then came out of a room where he had been hiding and shot Kurt Milliman in the back.

The defendant then damaged his home, smashed a window and called the police claiming someone had broken into the home and attacked his wife.

A subsequent investigation by the Sheriff’s Department revealed that the defendant had placed the add on Craig’s List and was “pimping” his wife for profit.

The defendant was interviewed by detectives and admitted to fabricating the story of the break-in and that he had been selling his wife for sex on the internet.

The defendant will be sentenced on April 25, 2013 at 1:30 pm and faces a minimum sentence of 45 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

The case was prosecuted by Michael Combs, Chief of the Criminal Division of the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office, Patrick Kenneally and Andrew Mueller.

A couple of decades ago when Will County’s Ed Petka was in the Illinois General Assembly, he passed a bill to create a new tort.

His law would cover crimes committed that were inspired by movies, TV shows and probably other entertainment.

If one inspired violence, the company putting out the entertainment would be liable for damages.

Now comes such a crime, but not in Illinois.

17-year old Jake Evans of Toledo, Ohio, confessed that he watched the movie “Halloween” three times that week.  It’s  movie about a teen who killed his family.

Evans murdered his mother and his sister.

Prior to being elected State Representative and Senator, Petka has served as Will County State’s Attorney.

Subsequently, he served as a Circuit Court Judge.

A press release from the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office:

CARRIE GIL CONVICTED OF ATTEMPT FIRST DEGREE MURDER, AGGRAVATED ARSON AND RESIDENTIAL ARSON

Louis A. Bianchi, McHenry County State’s Attorney, announces that Carrie Gil, 46, formerly of Crystal Lake, was found guilty, after a three hour jury deliberation, of the offenses of Attempt 1st Degree Murder, Aggravated Arson and Residential Arson.

This case was investigated by the Crystal Lake Police and Fire Departments with assistance from the State Fire Marshal’s Office and United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The Illinois State Police provided experts to explain the use of an accelerate to start the fire and to associate paint from inside the residence to graffiti on the garage and screen doors outside the house.

The investigation also revealed multiple death spells within the defendant’s laptop computer which matched verbatim with handwritten notes linked to the defendant by a forensic document examiner from the Illinois State Police.

The case was prosecuted by David Johnston and Sharyl Eisenstein of the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office.

A press release from the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office:

KENNETH SMITH SENTENCED FOR THE THIRD TIME TO 67 YEARS IN PRISON FOR THE OFFENSE OF FIRST DEGREE MURDER

Louis A. Bianchi, McHenry County State’s Attorney, announces that 35 year old Kenneth Smith was sentenced for the third time to 67 years in prison for the offenses of first degree murder and attempt armed robbery.

Smith has been found guilty three times of the March 6, 2001 murder of Raul Briseno at the Burrito Express Restaurant in the City of McHenry.

In 2003, and again in 2008, a McHenry County jury convicted Smith of shooting Briseno with a .22 caliber pistol in the course of robbing his restaurant.

Both convictions were overturned by an Illinois Appellate Court.

On February 29, 2012 a third jury convicted Smith of the crime bringing the total to 36 people of this community who heard the evidence and were convinced beyond a reasonable doubt of his guilt.

Today, Judge Sharon Prather once again sentenced the defendant to a term of 67 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for the offense of first degree murder with a concurrent 7 year sentence for the offense of attempt armed robbery.

Under truth in sentencing guidelines the defendant must serve the entire 67 years before he is eligible for parole.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorneys

• Michael Combs
• David Johnston and
• David Metnick

and was investigated by the City of McHenry Police Department with the assistance of the McHenry Investigative Assistance Team.

The subject of an arrest for domestic homicide, 44-year old Robert Sitnorile of 12,966 Rock Springs in Huntley, has been indicted by the McHenry County Grand Jury for First Degree Murder.

“Signorile is accused of striking Michelle Mathieu repeatedly knowing that such acts created a strong probability of death or great bodily harm and were accompanied by exceptionally brutal or heinous behavior indicative of wanton cruelty,” according the the original press release from the Huntley Police Department.

You can read the press release about Michelle Mathieu’s death here.

The Huntley Police Department press release on the recent murder:

Domestic Homicide

Victim: Michelle C Mathieu 52 years old
12966 Rock Springs Ln, Huntley, IL

Defendant: Robert Signorile 43 years old
12966 Rock Springs Ln, Huntley, IL

Charged with First Degree Murder

Background: Michelle Mathieu and Robert Signorile moved to Huntley in August of 2011. Previously they lived together in Lombard and Carol Stream, Illinois.

On August 19, 2011, Huntley Police were called to the Rock Springs address by Mathieu reference a domestic situation.

Robert was arrested for Domestic Battery for allegedly punching Mathieu several times and dragging her by her hair.

Signorile was convicted of battery on October 19, 2011 and sentenced to one year supervision, $263 fine and ordered to anger counseling.

Incident: On Sunday, March 18, 2012, the Huntley Police responded to a call for a medical assist at 12966 Rock Springs Lane in the McHenry County section of Huntley.

The caller advised dispatch that a woman had fallen and was unconscious.

The victim, Michelle Mathieu was found unconscious on the master bedroom floor.

She was transported to Sherman Hospital in Elgin by the Huntley Fire Department.

Despite receiving medical treatment, Mathieu died on March 24, 2012.

After an investigation by the Huntley Police Department and the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office, Signorile was arrested and charged with First Degree Murder.

Signorile is accused of striking Michelle Mathieu repeatedly knowing that such acts created a strong probability of death or great bodily harm and were accompanied by exceptionally brutal or heinous behavior indicative of wanton cruelty.

Signorile is being held in McHenry County jail with a 2 million dollar bond.

All individuals listed as arrested or charged with a crime in this press release are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

A press release from the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office:

Louis A. Bianchi, McHenry County State’s Attorney, announces that 35-year old Kenneth Smith was found guilty of First Degree Murder and Attempt Armed Robbery.

The evidence at trial proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant shot Raul Briseno outside of the Burrito Express Restaurant in McHenry on March 6, 2001.

The jury deliberated approximately 20 hours before rendering the verdict.

A sentencing hearing will be held April 26, 2012 at 1:30 p.m.

“I’m happy about the decision of the jury. It’s a good decision not only for the community, but for the lawyers in our office.

“Thirty-six people have now found Ken Smith guilty of murder. It’s important to our community to know that we have a lot of competent lawyers in our office fighting to keep our community safe and a good place to raise a family.

“Nick Combs is one of the finest attorneys in the State of Illinois and I’m proud to work with him.”

The case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorneys Michael Combs, David Johnston and David Metnick and was investigated by the McHenry City Police Department with the assistance of the McHenry Investigative Assistance Team.

Over a week after Tri-County Pregnancy and Parenting volunteer Sonia Hume died in a head-on car crash on Tryon Grove Road near Hebron, the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department charged the driver of the second car, Luis E. Raminez, with murder and reckless homicide.

The Sheriff’s Department belatedly posed an August 5th press release, but I didn’t run it because I couldn’t copy and paste it.  It was copy protected unless I captured it in an unsearchable format, such as the image you see below:

Apparently nothing worth talking about happened between August 5th and August 15th, because no press releases were posted between the two dates.

Today, I found an August 15th press release on the arrest of Luis E. Ramirez for murder and reckless homicide.

You see an image of it below, which can be enlarged by clicking on it.

The release says that “additional interviews” led to the charges.

“During the course of the investigation it was determined it was not an accident, it was an intentional act committed by Luis E. Ramirez,” the press release says.  The release also says Ramirez did not know Sonia Hume.

Here’s what the law says about the crime of murder:

720 ILCS 5/ Criminal Code of 1961.  (720 ILCS 5/Art. 9 heading)

ARTICLE 9. HOMICIDE

(720 ILCS 5/9‑1) (from Ch. 38, par. 9‑1)
Sec. 9‑1. First degree Murder ‑ Death penalties ‑ Exceptions ‑ Separate Hearings ‑ Proof ‑ Findings ‑ Appellate procedures ‑ Reversals.

(a) A person who kills an individual without lawful justification commits first degree murder if, in performing the acts which cause the death:

1. he either intends to kill or do great bodily harm to that individual or another, or knows that such acts will cause death to that individual or another; or
2. he knows that such acts create a strong probability of death or great bodily harm to that individual or another; or
3. he is attempting or committing a forcible felony other than second degree murder.

This is going to be an interesting case to watch.

A press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office:

ALGONQUIN MAN INDICTED ON FEDERAL MURDER FOR HIRE CHARGES

Rockford – An Algonquin, Ill. man was indicted today and charged with seven counts of using interstate facilities in a murder-for-hire scheme.

The indictment alleges that between Aug. 1 and 4, 2011, JASON W. SMIEKEL, 29, of Algonquin, Illinois, used his cell phone and car with the intent that a murder-for-hire be committed.

If convicted, Smiekel faces up to 10 years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine for each count. Smiekel is scheduled to be arraigned on the charges tomorrow, Aug. 17, 2011, at 11:00 a.m. before federal Magistrate Judge P. Michael Mahoney.

Smiekel was arrested in Elgin, Ill. on August 4, 2011, on a murder-for-hire charge.

A criminal complaint was filed against Smiekel the following morning in federal court in Rockford, charging him with using a cell phone in a murder-for-hire scheme.

The criminal complaint alleged that Smiekel was arrested in the parking lot of a restaurant in Elgin after passing $7,000 in cash to an undercover ATF special agent who was posing as a “hitman.”

The murder was purportedly scheduled to take place later that day around 5:30 p.m.

The indictment was announced today by Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Andrew L. Traver, Special Agent-In-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The ATF’s Rockford office conducted the investigation, with the assistance of the Algonquin Police Department.

A copy of the indictment will available at http://www.justice.gov/usao/iln/pr/rockford/2011/index.html.

The government was represented by Assistant United States Attorney John G.
McKenzie.

Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving that defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.