Comment
Rate
Krajcir extradition to Mo. delayed after charge filed in Illinois
| Advertisement |
By JIM SALTER
Associated Press Writer
ST. LOUIS (AP) - Timothy Krajcir's extradition to Missouri will be delayed now that the suspected serial killer has been charged with a second murder in Illinois, Cape Girardeau County prosecutor Morley Swingle said Thursday.
In Williamson County, Ill., State's Attorney Charles Garnati announced Thursday that he filed a first-degree murder charge against Krajcir, 63, on Christmas Eve. Krajcir is accused of raping and fatally stabbing 51-year-old Virginia Lee Witte of Marion, Ill, in 1978.
It's the seventh murder charge filed against Krajcir, and authorities say two more are expected. All the crimes happened between 1977 and 1982. All but one occurred within an hour's drive of Carbondale, Ill., where Krajcir lived at the time.
Krajcir has already pleaded guilty in one of the cases, the 1982 strangling of Southern Illinois University student Deborah Sheppard at her Carbondale apartment. He was charged this month with killing five women in Cape Girardeau - three in 1977 and two in 1982. And, he is suspected of killing women in Paducah, Ky., and Reading, Pa., both in 1979.
Krajcir is at the Tamms Correctional Center in Illinois, serving a 40-year sentence for killing Sheppard. Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt made a formal extradition request Dec. 17 so Krajcir could face charges in the Cape Girardeau killings, and Illinois authorities previously pledged to expedite it. A hearing in Cape Girardeau County was scheduled for Thursday.
But the new charges in Illinois have changed things. The Missouri hearing has been indefinitely postponed.
Swingle said an Illinois prison official told him that Krajcir will remain housed there until the Witte case is resolved. A date for an initial court appearance hasn't been set, and the Williamson County judge who will hear the case is out of the office until Wednesday.
“It's disappointing because we had 60 victims' family members who came out, and we were locked and cocked and ready to move quickly on ours,” Swingle said. “Hopefully they'll move quickly on theirs.”
Garnati said, “I want justice for Mrs. Witte. I know they (Missouri officials) want justice for their victims. I'm sure we'll all work together to make sure that happens.”
In a statement Thursday, Blunt spokeswoman Jessica Robinson said the governor is “frustrated” with the delay but understands the need for cooperation.
“Gov. Blagojevich knows we want Krajcir in Missouri as soon as possible and Gov. Blunt is confident that Illinois will release him at the appropriate time and as quickly as possible,” Robinson said in a written statement.
Blagojevich spokeswoman Rebecca Rausch said there are complicated issues to work through because Krajcir is already charged in two states and is expected to eventually be charged in two others.
“We understand Missouri's interest in bringing him to justice,” Rausch said. “We're interested in the same thing.
“He's remaining in Illinois for this moment,” Rausch said.
Christopher Davis, a Cape Girardeau public defender representing Krajcir, did not return a phone call seeking comment.
Krajcir grew up in Allentown, Pa., and has spent most of his adult life in prison. All nine slayings happened during his brief period of freedom.
A DNA match earlier this year led Carbondale authorities to question Krajcir in the Sheppard killing. After he admitted to that crime, police in Cape Girardeau compared DNA and determined Krajcir was responsible for a series of unsolved killings.
Authorities have painted a portrait of a serial killer who went hunting for victims.
In Cape Girardeau, Mary Parsh, 58, and her 27-year-old daughter, Brenda were found shot to death inside their home on Aug. 12, 1977. On Nov. 16, 1977, Southeast Missouri State University student Sheila Cole, 21, was kidnapped from a Wal-Mart parking lot and found shot to death a day later at a rest area near McClure, Ill.
Margie Call, 57, was found strangled in her home on Jan. 27, 1982. Mildred Wallace, 65, was found shot to death inside her home on June 21, 1982.
Last week, Paducah police said Krajcir admitted to killing 29-year-old Joyce Tharp in the early hours of March 23, 1979. He allegedly told police he went “cruising” for victims.
In Reading, Krajcir is suspected of killing 51-year-old Myrtle Rupp. Investigators have taken new DNA, fingerprint and palm print samples and interviewed Krajcir. Authorities won't say if he has confessed.
In Williamson County, Ill., State's Attorney Charles Garnati announced Thursday that he filed a first-degree murder charge against Krajcir, 63, on Christmas Eve. Krajcir is accused of raping and fatally stabbing 51-year-old Virginia Lee Witte of Marion, Ill, in 1978.
It's the seventh murder charge filed against Krajcir, and authorities say two more are expected. All the crimes happened between 1977 and 1982. All but one occurred within an hour's drive of Carbondale, Ill., where Krajcir lived at the time.
Krajcir has already pleaded guilty in one of the cases, the 1982 strangling of Southern Illinois University student Deborah Sheppard at her Carbondale apartment. He was charged this month with killing five women in Cape Girardeau - three in 1977 and two in 1982. And, he is suspected of killing women in Paducah, Ky., and Reading, Pa., both in 1979.
Krajcir is at the Tamms Correctional Center in Illinois, serving a 40-year sentence for killing Sheppard. Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt made a formal extradition request Dec. 17 so Krajcir could face charges in the Cape Girardeau killings, and Illinois authorities previously pledged to expedite it. A hearing in Cape Girardeau County was scheduled for Thursday.
But the new charges in Illinois have changed things. The Missouri hearing has been indefinitely postponed.
Swingle said an Illinois prison official told him that Krajcir will remain housed there until the Witte case is resolved. A date for an initial court appearance hasn't been set, and the Williamson County judge who will hear the case is out of the office until Wednesday.
“It's disappointing because we had 60 victims' family members who came out, and we were locked and cocked and ready to move quickly on ours,” Swingle said. “Hopefully they'll move quickly on theirs.”
Garnati said, “I want justice for Mrs. Witte. I know they (Missouri officials) want justice for their victims. I'm sure we'll all work together to make sure that happens.”
In a statement Thursday, Blunt spokeswoman Jessica Robinson said the governor is “frustrated” with the delay but understands the need for cooperation.
“Gov. Blagojevich knows we want Krajcir in Missouri as soon as possible and Gov. Blunt is confident that Illinois will release him at the appropriate time and as quickly as possible,” Robinson said in a written statement.
Blagojevich spokeswoman Rebecca Rausch said there are complicated issues to work through because Krajcir is already charged in two states and is expected to eventually be charged in two others.
“We understand Missouri's interest in bringing him to justice,” Rausch said. “We're interested in the same thing.
“He's remaining in Illinois for this moment,” Rausch said.
Christopher Davis, a Cape Girardeau public defender representing Krajcir, did not return a phone call seeking comment.
Krajcir grew up in Allentown, Pa., and has spent most of his adult life in prison. All nine slayings happened during his brief period of freedom.
A DNA match earlier this year led Carbondale authorities to question Krajcir in the Sheppard killing. After he admitted to that crime, police in Cape Girardeau compared DNA and determined Krajcir was responsible for a series of unsolved killings.
Authorities have painted a portrait of a serial killer who went hunting for victims.
In Cape Girardeau, Mary Parsh, 58, and her 27-year-old daughter, Brenda were found shot to death inside their home on Aug. 12, 1977. On Nov. 16, 1977, Southeast Missouri State University student Sheila Cole, 21, was kidnapped from a Wal-Mart parking lot and found shot to death a day later at a rest area near McClure, Ill.
Margie Call, 57, was found strangled in her home on Jan. 27, 1982. Mildred Wallace, 65, was found shot to death inside her home on June 21, 1982.
Last week, Paducah police said Krajcir admitted to killing 29-year-old Joyce Tharp in the early hours of March 23, 1979. He allegedly told police he went “cruising” for victims.
In Reading, Krajcir is suspected of killing 51-year-old Myrtle Rupp. Investigators have taken new DNA, fingerprint and palm print samples and interviewed Krajcir. Authorities won't say if he has confessed.
 |
||
| Bush declares state of disaster in Missouri |
Article Rating |
|
Before commenting read the News Tribune Forum's policies and procedures.
Thanks.
To add your comments you must be registered and logged in |
RSS
