Murder in Illinois

By iHeartPodcasts

Society & Culture

What's Murder in Illinois about?

In 2007, Chris Vaughn was arrested during a funeral for his wife and three children. He would be tried and convicted of their murders. To this day he maintains no memory of what occurred that tragic day 20 years ago. Murder in Illinois follows the complicated circumstances that led to Vaughn’s conviction, as well as the forensic evidence his supporters believe proves his innocence- in attempt to answer one question: Who killed the Vaughn family?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

LAST EPISODE

Introducing: Symptomatic Se...

10.04.2023

After the birth of her first child, Michele was hit with the onset of sporadic tingling and numbness on alternating sides of her face. Despite enduring years of the mysterious symptoms, she had given up hope of finding the root ...

Murder in Illinois episodes:

10.04.2023 Introducing: Symptomatic Season 2 After the birth of her first child, Michele was hit with the onset of sporadic tingling and numbness on alternating sides of her face. Despite enduring years of the mysterious symptoms, she had given up hope of finding the root ...
06.15.2023 #367 Guest Host Lauren Bright Pacheco with Sidney Holmes On June 19, 1988, 20-year-old Vincent Wright and 17-year-old Anissia Johnson were robbed at gunpoint by two men outside of a convenience store in Fort Lauderdale, FL. A third perpetrator also drove up to the scene in a brown car ...
04.20.2023 #350 Guest Host Lauren Bright Pacheco with Lamar Johnson On the evening of October 30, 1994, Marcus Boyd and Greg Elking were sitting on Marcus’s front porch in St. Louis, MO when two men, wearing ski masks and armed with guns, ambushed them and shot Marcus several times leading ...
01.12.2023 Introducing: "Murder in Miami" In the 1980s crime journalist Phil Stanford dove into the decadent and dangerous world of Miami just as the city was becoming the cocaine- and murder- capital of the United States. His path would place him in the crosshairs of ...
12.19.2022 #318 Guest Host Lauren Bright Pacheco with Mark Schand On September 2, 1986, a Springfield, MA drug deal turned into an armed robbery, which turned into the death of an innocent bystander named Victoria Seymour. Six men, all of whom were later determined to have been involved in the ...
10.05.2022 Case #01: Nyobie Nyobie grew up knowing there was something different about her body. As a young woman, she was plagued by unexplained symptoms doctors initially dismissed as part of puberty. But persistent pain and swelling in her arms and legs were just ...
03.09.2022 Introducing: What Happened to Sandy Beal Hi, Murder in Illinois fans! The newest iHeart Original podcast, Sandy Beal: A true-crime show that investigates the murder of Sandy Beal. The mysterious death of a woman who dreamed of a career in law enforcement. Melissa Jeltsen uncovers a ...
01.10.2022 Introducing: The MLK Tapes Hi, Murder in Illinois fans! iHeartPodcasts and TenderfootTV are excited to announce The MLK Tapes - a brand new podcast that takes a second look at the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We think you'll enjoy the thrilling ...
09.23.2021 Resolve - MII E12 The final episode of Murder in Illinois summarizes the case against Christopher Vaughn, the new evidence uncovered in the podcast, updates his legal status and revisits those involved for their final thoughts. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See ...
09.16.2021 Reconstruction - MII E11 Lauren Bright Pacheco finally meets Chris Vaughn in person before Bill Clutter mounts an ambitious crime scene reconstruction. Crime Scene Technician Katie Hartman strenuously tests the scenarios put forth by both the prosecution and defense before weighing in with her ...
09.09.2021 Re-evaluation - MII E10 Chris Vaughn possibly lands significant support when social justice activist and host of the Wrongful Convictions podcast, Jason Flom, agrees to look into his case. Bill Clutter also uncovers a troubling aspect to the timeline and testimony that secured Vaughn’s ...
09.02.2021 Writings - MII E9 Written words have played a variety of roles throughout the history of this tragedy. They’ve been used to insinuate, accuse and incriminate but they also offer insight and revelations potentially resulting in new evidence. Learn more about your ad-choices at ...
08.26.2021 Reexamination - MII E8 Fourteen years after Christopher Vaughn was sentenced to four consecutive life terms for the murders of his wife and three children we revisit the evidence that led to his conviction. In this episode we’ll break down the circumstantial and forensic ...
08.19.2021 The Trial - MII E7 In August of 2012, five years after his arrest before his family’s funeral in June 2007, Christopher Vaughn’s murder trail began. The Will County State’s Attorney’s office originally sought the death penalty, which has since been abolished in Illinois. As ...
08.12.2021 Initial Defense - MII E6 As Vaughn faces the death penalty, his initial defense team is faced with increasingly negative optics and overcoming significant gaps in Chris’s recollection of the killings. Four years into mounting a case for Vaughn’s innocence, their efforts are rendered useless. ...
08.05.2021 The Arrest - MII E5 As Christopher Vaughn prepares to bury his wife and three children, handcuffs are placed on his wrists. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
07.29.2021 Devastation - MII E4 Gail receives an unfathomable call as news of the horrific family massacre dominates the media. Chris Vaughn is interrogated, while still in a hospital gown, within hours of the killings. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for ...
07.22.2021 Family Dynamics - MII E3 As a young couple Kimberly and Christopher struggle with financial insecurity, the pressures of parenting and the growing dysfunction between their two families. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
07.15.2021 Before - MII E2 Before Christopher Vaughn was known as a convicted killer, he was a son and a brother in the Vaughn family of Missouri, the eldest of Gail and Pierre Vaughn’s three boys. He would meet his wife- and become a father- ...
07.08.2021 The Tragedy - MII E1 In the quiet pre-dawn hours of June 14th, 2007 the Vaughn family- Christopher, his wife Kimberly and their three children- set out for an impromptu trip to a waterpark. The family would never arrive.
07.01.2021 Who Killed The Vaughn Family? Trailer 2 - On July 8th, we re-examine a case that’s been tightly closed to shed light on whether Christopher Vaughn was justly charged, tried and convicted- and explore whether pertinent facts and later developments that could have been utilized ...
06.22.2021 Introducing Murder in Illinois Trailer 1 - In 2007, Chris Vaughn was arrested during a funeral for his wife and three children. He would be tried and convicted of their murders. To this day he maintains no memory of what occurred that tragic day ...
01.09.2020 Epilogue - MIO E12 The final episode of Murder in Oregon. Phil, the Francke brothers and Mike’s friends and colleagues share their thoughts on the individuals who’ve avoided justice for the past thirty years.
01.02.2020 Habeas Corpus - MIO E11 A recapitulation of the players, timeline, evidence covered... And a huge development regarding Frank Gable’s fight for freedom.
12.26.2019 Victims - MIO E10 This episode addresses one of the darkest political scandals in Oregon's history and how that scandal played into the investigation of Mike Francke's murder.
12.19.2019 Darkness - MIO E9 A sworn statement, unearthed in 2004, presents some very damning information involving one of Michael Francke's former co-workers.
12.12.2019 Judgement - MIO E8 More than two years after Michael Francke's murder, a small time drug dealer named Frank Gable would be tried for the crime.
12.05.2019 Patsy - MIO E7 More than a year after Michael Francke's death a small time Salem drug dealer, named Frank Gable, is arrested and indicted for his murder.
11.28.2019 Rooster - MIO E6 Many people, including those closest to him, believe Tim 'Rooster' Natividad was involved in the murder of Michael Francke.
11.21.2019 Depravity - MIO E5 The search for Mike's killer leads to a woman whose dysfunctional upbringing in Salem's drug scene was closely linked to corruption in Corrections.
11.14.2019 Corruption - MIO E4 A deep dive into the history of corruption in Salem reveals a long and sordid relationship between criminal and political powers.
11.07.2019 Breaking Point - MIO E3 Months after Mike's murder, the official investigation seems to stall.
10.31.2019 Discrepancies - MIO E2 Inconsistencies in the narrative bring about issues as the official investigation into Michael Francke’s murder unfolds.
10.24.2019 The Murder - MIO E1 Was Michael Francke murdered...or assassinated?
10.17.2019 Who Killed Michael Francke? Those responsible might still be out there.
10.09.2019 Introducing Murder in Oregon The premiere trailer for Murder in Oregon.