True Crime Cases in Illinois
True crime cases in Illinois span decades of criminal history, from unsolved disappearances in rural communities to high-profile investigations in the state's largest cities. Illinois law enforcement agencies, from local police departments to the state bureau of investigation, have tackled cases ranging from cold-case homicides and serial offenders to fraud schemes and domestic violence tragedies. CaseSleuth tracks each Illinois case with comprehensive timelines, profiles of victims and persons of interest, evidence summaries, and links to media coverage and court documents. Browse the cases below to explore the full scope of criminal investigations in Illinois.
3 cases found
Drew Peterson
ConvictedBolingbrook, IL · 2004
Former Bolingbrook, Illinois police sergeant Drew Peterson became a national figure after his fourth wife Stacy Peterson disappeared in October 2007. He was subsequently charged and convicted of murdering his third wife Kathleen Savio, whose death had been ruled accidental in 2004.
R. Kelly Sex Trafficking Case
ConvictedChicago, IL · 1994
R&B singer R. Kelly was convicted of racketeering and sex trafficking in September 2021 after decades of allegations of sexual abuse involving minors. He was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison.
John Wayne Gacy
ConvictedChicago, IL · 1972
John Wayne Gacy, known as the "Killer Clown," murdered at least 33 young men and boys in the Chicago suburbs between 1972 and 1978, burying most of them in the crawl space beneath his house. He was convicted in 1980 and executed by lethal injection in 1994.