November 23, 2024
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Starved Rock murders case: No identity (yet) on hair retrieved

Judge continues Chester Weger case until Feb. 24 while awaiting results

By Tom Collins
Chester Weger (in the wheelchair) escorted by attorney Andy Hale and members of his, Weger's family, won't learn until Feb. 24 (if then) whose DNA was found on a piece of evidence from the Starved Rock murders. The DNA wasn't his.

Chester Weger (in the wheelchair) escorted by attorney Andy Hale and members of his, Weger's family, won't learn until Feb. 24 (if then) whose DNA was found on a piece of evidence from the Starved Rock murders. The DNA wasn't his. (Tom Collins)

Whose hair was found on the glove of one of the Starved Rock murder victims? Chester Weger will be a few weeks from his 84th birthday before that’s revealed, if then.

Weger, 83 and still convicted of the 1960 Starved Rock murders, appeared Friday in La Salle County Circuit Court hoping, in part, to proceed with efforts to identify some DNA retrieved from crime-scene evidence. As previously reported, a hair found from the glove of victim Frances Murphy was found to have a man’s DNA but that man wasn’t Weger.

There is a process for getting evidence submitted into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) for comparison but there still are a few hurdles left to cross. La Salle County Judge Michael C. Jansz set a new hearing for 1 p.m. Feb. 24, 2023. Weger turns 84 the following month.

After Friday’s hearing, Hale acknowledged a limited chance they successfully identify the source of the hair. DNA was not submitted to CODIS until the late 1990s and there is a possibility the source of the hair had died or never was logged into the system.

“It’s admittedly a little bit of a long shot, but you never know,” he said. Hale said other hairs are being tested privately and results are pending.

But Weger didn’t leave empty-handed Friday. He and his lawyers did get Jansz to issue a subpoena and protective order for what Weger’s lawyers described as newly discovered documents.

Weger attorney Andy Hale explained he was contacted by an area resident and told the author Steve Stout had “original” case materials that he donated to the La Salle County Historical Society.

“I wasn’t aware that Mr. Stout had original case files,” Hale said. “I was surprised and concerned to hear it.”

And he wants to know what else Stout has. When the special prosecutor took no position, Jansz agreed to the subpoena and protective order, effectively binding Stout to hold on to whatever materials are in his possession.

Stout did not speak during the hearing. Outside the La Salle County courthouse, Stout said he accepted case materials from the late Harland Warren, a former La Salle County state’s attorney. Warren, Stout recalled, was retiring from practice and planned to discard the case materials unless Stout wanted them. Stout did.

Stout said he would have gladly shared with Hale not only Warren’s nearly-discarded materials but also his own records and notes.

“I think it’s very rude that Mr. Hale never contacted me and asked me questions,” Stout said. “I have let the material be seen by anybody who requested the material. I am not hiding it. It’s not hidden at all. I’m preserving it.”

Stout also said Weger shouldn’t get his hopes up.

“Nothing is going to come out of it,” Stout said. “There is no information in the materials I own that will help Mr. Weger overturn his conviction.”