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Christopher
C. CHURCHILL
Classification: Mass murderer
Characteristics: Juvenile
(16) - Sex with
corpses
Number of victims: 5
Date of murders:
February 11, 1998
Date of arrest:
6 days after
Date of birth:
December 18,
1981
Victims profile: His half-brother,
Jonathan Lloyd, 17, his brother's girlfriend
Debra Smith, 32, and her three children, Kenny,
12, Jennifer, 7, and Corey, 5
Method of murder:
Hitting with a hammer
Location: Noble, Illinois, USA
Status: Sentenced to life in prison without parole on May 3,
1999
In February 1998, 16-year-old Chris
Churchill of Noble, Ill., was arrested on charges he killed Debbie Smith,
32, her boyfriend, Jonathan Lloyd, 17, and Smith's three children, Kenny,
12, Jennifer, 7, and Corey, 5. The Friday the 13th slayings occurred in
a single-story frame house on North Noble Avenue in the small Richland
County village of Noble.
Churchill was sentenced to life in prison and is
serving his time at Menard Correctional Center in Chester, Ill.
Christopher Churchill admitted in a videotaped
statement that he killed his half-brother, his brother's girlfriend
Debra Smith, and her three children to "relieve stress.'' He was 16
at the time of the murders, February, 1998.
Churchill said he played cards with the family the
night of the killings, then stayed up drinking at their home in Noble,
in southern Illinois. He told police he had fantasized about killing his
brother and "acted out a little anger'' on the others because they
teased him.
The victims were his brother, Jonathan Lloyd, 17, his
brother's girlfriend, Debra Smith, 35, and Ms. Smith's three children:
Jennifer, 12; Korey, 10; and Kenneth, 6.
He attacked all five with a hammer, watched some
television, then had sex with the 12-year-old girl as she lay dying. He
was arrested six days later.
Churchill recounted killing Korey and Kenneth first,
then knocking Jennifer unconscious before attacking his brother and
Debra Smith. Churchill acknowledged in a videotaped statement having sex
with Jennifer before she died. Police testified that Churchill also told
them that he had sex with Kenny. He also acknowledged sexually molesting
the bodies of Kenny and Debra Smith.
When asked why he sexually abused the bodies,
Churchill said that he "felt like being sick."
Police said Churchill told them that he had been
fantasizing about killing his brother for more than a year, saying he
wanted to use his sibling like a "guinea pig" on which he
could release his pent-up anger.
The hammer was found behind the living room couch.
Prosecutors said blood found on a T-shirt that
Churchill is believed to have worn during the killings matched Ms.
Smith's.
Churchill's lawyer said someone else was responsible
for the killings and that Churchill was protecting his friends in a
misguided attempt at altruism.'' But as this friend never actually
appeared it would seem a pretty silly argument.
Churchill faces a maximum sentence of life without
parole at his sentencing, scheduled for April. And I'll update the page
as soon as I find out what that sentence is.
Some quotes
"I think it's a just verdict. He's going to
suffer for the rest of his life for it,'' said James Shelton, father of
Ms. Smith.
"The defendant knew what he did. He wasn't
ashamed of it, and he happily told police about it,'' Assistant Attorney
General Allen Lolie said.
