Candlelight vigil planned for Ashton 16-year-old who police say was killed by 17-year-old boyfriend

OREGON – The family of a former Oregon High School student, who police said was strangled to death last week by her boyfriend in Ashton, will hold a candlelight vigil in her memory at 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27, at the Blackhawk Center.

Oregon School District 220 on Tuesday shared a message from the family of Jaedyn Hill: “First and foremost, we would like to thank everyone for the outpouring of love and support for our family. Losing our daughter has been devastating. Please join us in front of the Blackhawk Center on Sunday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m. for a candlelight vigil to celebrate Jaedyn’s life. Candles will be provided for attendees.”

Hill, 16, was found dead Oct. 15 in an Ashton apartment that she shared with her boyfriend, David J. Sosa, 17, who also is a former Oregon High School student.

Sosa is charged with killing Hill, who turned 16 on Oct. 6. He is charged as an adult and is being held in the Kane County Juvenile Detention Center.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office received a call about 7 a.m. Oct. 15 from the Rochelle Police Department that a teenager, later identified as Sosa, had walked into the police department’s lobby about 6:45 a.m. and said he was involved in a murder.

As a result, Lee County deputies went to 702 Richardson Ave., Apt. A, in Ashton, to carry out a welfare check and found Hill’s body in the apartment. Sosa and Hill, who were in a dating relationship, resided at the apartment, Lee County Sheriff Clay Whelan said in a news release.

According to court documents, Sosa is accused of placing a belt around Hill’s neck and strangling her to the point of asphyxiation. He then walked 11 miles from Ashton to Rochelle to turn himself in at the police department. According to court documents, deputies found Hill’s body on the floor in the southeast bedroom of the two-bedroom apartment with a belt around her neck and a knife on the floor near her body.

An autopsy conducted Oct. 16 at the Peoria County Coroner’s Office preliminarily determined that strangulation was the cause of Hill’s death.

Sosa appeared in Lee County court Oct. 16. His next court appearance is a preliminary hearing at 10:30 a.m. Nov. 7.

A celebration of life for Hill will be from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27, at the Mt. Morris Moose Lodge, Moose Lane, Mt. Morris.

Her full obituary can be viewed at www.finchfuneral.com.