Jury selection looms ahead of January Sycamore double murder trial

SYCAMORE – As prosecutors prepare to bring forward dozens of witnesses in about three weeks for a former Chicago man’s double murder trial in the violent killings of mother and son Patricia and Robert Wilson, conversation in court Thursday turned to jury selection.

A 12-person jury is expected to hear the case of Jonathan Hurst, now 55, charged with 12 counts of first-degree murder, home invasion and burglary. He was arrested in Ohio and charged almost four years after Patricia A. Wilson, 85, and Robert J. Wilson, 64, were found beaten to death inside their home at 16058 Old State Road.

When asked about number of juror pools the court expects to bring in for jury selection, Hurst’s defense lawyer, Charles Criswell said, “a lot.”

“I anticipate, judge, there might be a lot of people on the jury pool who have some kind of feelings about this trial,” Criswell, of the DeKalb County Public Defender’s Office, said.

The Wilsons were well known and well regarded in the Sycamore community. Patricia was remembered as an active member of St. John’s Lutheran Church of Sycamore. Robert, known affectionately as “Smiley”, was a lottery winner and the president of Sycamore Moose Lodge.

Circuit Court Judge Marcy Buick suggested another pretrial court date in a week for a “meeting of the minds on some procedural issues.”

“There are some considerations for this trial that are going to be different than others that I think we need to go over,” Buick said. “Our conferences are going to be in open court on this case obviously. But there are some unusual, or unique considerations I think that the court needs to have with regards to this case.”

Hurst, who faces a life sentence if convicted, has been held without release in DeKalb County jail since his February 2020 arrest.

He’s pleaded not guilty and denied ever being in Sycamore. Authorities have said abundant DNA evidence, cell phone geo-mapping data and the location of Patricia’s missing car found near where he used to live in Chicago point to him as the culprit, however.

Both defense and prosecutors told Buick Thursday they are ready for Hurst’s criminal trial.

Lead prosecutor Scott Schwertley said he expect to spend the next three weeks doing witness preparations. The DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s Office is expected to bring forth dozens of witnesses during trial. Criswell said the defense also expects to bring forward character witnesses for Hurst.

Jury selection is expected to begin Jan. 20, with a trial planned to convene Jan. 21. It’s not clear how long the trial is anticipated to take.

Schwertley told Buick he’s “paired down” his witness list, though it’s still substantial.

“We’ve trimmed down a little bit,” Schwertley said. “So we’re still looking at how long it’s going to be. And some of it obviously all depends on cross [examination], too.”

When asked if he preferred to be brought to the DeKalb County Courthouse in Sycamore, across from the jail, in person for his next pretrial hearing at 10:30 a.m. Jan. 8, Hurst told Criswell, “If that’s your recommendation that’s fine.”

Criswell hasn’t said whether Hurst intends to testify in his own defense.

Among those subpoenaed by prosecutors to testify include police officers, friends and family of the Wilsons and an FBI officer. Criswell said in addition to character witnesses for Hurst’s defense, he also has subpoenaed some police officers of his own.

By the time Hurst’s trial begins, after years of delays, lawyer changes and postponed trial dates, more than eight years will have passed since the Wilsons were killed.