Christopher Vaughn wanted to live in perfect freedom in the Canadian wilderness, prosecutors said, but instead he will spend the rest of his life in prison after a Will County judge sentenced him to four consecutive life terms Tuesday for the murders of Vaughn's wife and three children.
The sentence -- a foregone conclusion under Illinois law -- came after Kimberly Vaughn's mother and identical twin sister read statements detailing the devastation the family has suffered, her mother in a matter-of-fact tone and her sister in tears. Prosecutors have said Christopher Vaughn dreamed of leaving his dull suburban life and decided to kill his family and embark on a survivalist sojourn in the Yukon.
Vaughn, who was stockpiling camping gear and spending thousands of dollars at strip clubs in the weeks before the slayings, declined to address the court before he was sentenced. "No, thank you," he told Judge Daniel Rozak in a soft voice.
The Oswego man, now 38, murdered his family in 2007 after pulling their SUV off Interstate 55 onto an isolated frontage road near Channahon on the way to what he said was a surprise trip to a Springfield water park. He allegedly shoved his handgun under Kimberly's chin and shot her, then turned the gun on his sleeping children, the last of whom apparently raised his arms in an attempt to fend off the fatal bullets.
Rozak said before imposing his sentence that he was "very frustrated" by the state Legislature's restrictions, an apparent reference to Illinois' decision last year to end the death penalty.
"There isn't a punishment that fits this crime," State's Attorney James Glasgow said. "You could lock him up for 500 lifetimes and it would not compensate the victims in this case or the family members."
Kimberly's father, Del Phillips, said the family never saw any sign that Christopher Vaughn was dangerous. But he always seemed unemotional.
"I don't think he felt what we feel when he held our (grand)children," said Phillips, who said he had hoped to hear some explanation or apology from Vaughn on Tuesday.
The 51/2 week trial included testimony from two former strippers whom Vaughn plied with cash and an FBI expert who translated 140 pages of runic writings that Vaughn, who had an interest in druidism, had scribbled in a notebook while in jail awaiting trial.
Vaughn's wife and children were never mentioned in the writings, but there was a reference to one of the exotic dancers. Much of the trial focused on blood evidence that prosecutors said proved Vaughn murdered his family.
His defense team argued that Kimberly had killed the children and then herself. Jurors didn't buy the theory, returning guilty verdicts in September after deliberating for just 45 minutes.
Kimberly Vaughn, 34, who had recently completed an online degree in criminal justice, was killed first, prosecutors said. The three children were each shot once in the head and once in the torso.
Abigayle "Abbi" Vaughn, 12, an accomplished student and athlete who had just begun wearing eye makeup, was slain while clutching a Harry Potter book and a stuffed animal. Cassandra "Sandi", 11, an animal lover who was trying to persuade her mom to let her start a dog-walking business, was killed next. Blake, 8, a kind-hearted boy who loved baseball and had an outsized vocabulary, was slain last, apparently after raising his arms in self-defense.
On Tuesday, Kimberly's identical twin sister, Jennifer Ledbetter, explained that she feared her looks and personality traits were a painful reminder for the rest of her family of Kimberly's absence and violent death.
"It crushes my heart," she said of being separated from her sister. They both would have turned 40 next month. Her eyes later flashed in anger and she seemed to look at Christopher Vaughn as she spoke of "the betrayal by a man we welcomed into our lives and loved as family."
"Our hearts ache with the knowledge that they were priceless to everyone but the one man who should have loved them more than his own life," she said of her four slain family members.
Vaughn's restraints made a clanking sound as he appeared to wipe his eye during the testimony, his only outward sign of emotion during the hearing. He looked back over his shoulder at his family before being led from the courtroom after the sentencing.
His family declined to comment.
Kimberly's mother, Susan Phillips, called Vaughn "a selfish coward" who chose not to just leave or divorce his wife but to "destroy ... the very best thing that he had, a loving wife and three amazing children" and cause her family enormous pain.
"All this tragedy, because one person just could not walk away."
After the sentencing, Kimberly's family hugged and shook hands with investigators. Later, Ledbetter spoke with Sgt. Steve Weiss, the Channahon police officer who found the four slain family members, telling him "my prayers will be with you."
Weiss said he was haunted for a time by what he saw the day of the murders, struggling to sleep or concentrate.
"When you first opened the door, it looked like they all should be sleeping," he said. "You couldn't believe it."
Weiss said the life sentences were a proper end for a man who killed those closest to him so he could live out his wilderness fantasy.
"He's going to get the opposite of what he wants," Weiss said. "There can't be a more fitting end for him than that."
Copyright 2012 - Chicago Tribune
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
