Pinckneyville, IL—
Three teenaged boys are now charged with shooting and strangling a girl they knew in Pinckneyville.Dozens of family members and friends of victim Sidnee Stephens showed up to a news conference. Many sobbed openly when Sheriff Keith Kellerman revealed their disturbing discovery.
The Sheriff said three teens are responsible for the murder of the 15-year-old Stephens. She was found Sunday in Beaucoup Creek shot and strangled. The Sheriff added that she'd been there for days and was hard to identify.
Friday morning, before the news conference 18-year-old Carl Dane was arraigned on two counts of first degree murder. 17-year-old James Glazier was also arraigned on two first degree murder counts. Sheriff Kellerman added, "The 15-year-old juvenile is facing the same charges. I cannot release his name."
After the Sheriff's announcement - Stephens' friends and family held each other and walked out in a human chain. The victim's Great Uncle Jeff Bergfeld sometimes trembled as he talked about waiting for the Sheriff's news. Bergfeld said, "You don't like to speculate, but once you find out what it is -- I can't quite wrap my head around it either."
As supporters counseled each other after the news conference, Bergfeld reminded people that the suspects and their families have their own struggle. Bergfeld said, "Whatever happens with regard to the rest of this investigation, wherever it goes, I just want the communicate that the kids that did this and their families have just so much to get through as we do. They've got to figure out why their kids did something like this."
He added that everyone has something to debate. "If they can make some good of it and make this a teaching moment from God's perspective that some people can learn that life is short and precious -- and we just want for everybody to learn from this and make her death worthwhile."
The Sheriff would not give a motive . He did say all them knew each other -- both the suspects and the victim and there was no evidence of sexual assault. The suspects are locked up with no bond and the oldest teen is eligible for the death penalty, if convicted, because he's 18.
