McHenry County issued the following announcement on July 2.
Patrick Kenneally, McHenry County State’s Attorney, announces that the conviction and 49-year sentence of William Ross, 65, for the Offense of First Degree Murder was upheld on appeal.
First, the appellate court rejected Ross’s argument he did not knowingly and intelligently waive his Miranda rights. The court found that the evidence supported Mr. Ross feigning misunderstanding of the rights as they were read to him. Second, the appellate court found that the trial court did not err when it admitted evidence at the murder trial that Ross had physically abused the victim, Jacqueline Schaefer, prior to the murder. Lastly, the appellate court affirmed that the evidence was sufficient to establish Ross’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
A jury in McHenry County found Ross guilty of first degree murder after a five day trial in July of 2016. The evidence presented established that the defendant shot his girlfriend, Ms. Schaefer, in the head and back with a firearm. After killing Ms. Schaefer, Ross “entombed” her in a spare bedroom by sealing her body inside with caulk and duct tape. The defendant’s DNA standard was discovered in a piece of latex glove that was recovered from the interior of the door after it was removed by the police. After the body was discovered, Ross fled the jurisdiction and he was arrested in Las Vegas, Nevada.
This case was investigated by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorneys Michael Combs, David Johnston and Dan Wilbrandt.
Original source can be found here.