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Cory
C. GREGORY
Classification:
Homicide
Characteristics: Juvenile (17)
- Dismemberment
Number of victims: 1
Date of murder:
January 21,
2005
Date of birth:
November 2,
1987
Victim profile: Adrianne
Reynolds (female, 16)
Method of murder: Strangulation with a belt
Location: Rock Island, Illinois, USA
Status: Sentenced to 45 years in prison on July 13,
2006
Teen accused in killing, dismembering of 16-year-old
classmate sentenced to prison
July 11, 2006
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (AP) — A teenager
accused of helping his ex-girlfriend kill and dismember a 16-year-old
classmate last year was sentenced Monday to 45 years in prison.
Cory Gregory, 18, had pleaded
guilty in April to murder and concealment of a homicide in the death of
Adrianne Reynolds.
"All I really want to do is
apologize. It's all I really can do," Gregory said. "If I could give my
life to bring her back, I would."
Prosecutors agreed to the plea deal
after consulting with Reynolds' family, who held vigil through a long
trial and retrial in which Gregory's former girlfriend was convicted of
murder.
Rock Island County State's Attorney
Jeff Terronez has said Gregory led authorities to remains that might
never have been found and agreed to meet with Reynolds' family and
explain his role in the slaying.
Prosecutors say Gregory and Sarah
Kolb, 18, killed Reynolds in Kolb's car at a fast-food restaurant on Jan.
21, 2005, then took the body to Kolb's grandparents' farm and burned it.
The pair returned two days later
with a third teen and sawed the body into pieces, dumping some remains
on the farm and burying the rest in a state park, according to
prosecutors.
Prosecutors said Kolb was angry
because Reynolds, who had recently moved to the state, was taking her
friends and had shown interest in Kolb's boyfriend and Gregory.
Cory
Gregory Sentenced
July 20,
2006
ROCK
ISLAND
- Cory Gregory was given the maximum sentence of 45 years in prison for
killing, burning and dismembering 16-year-old Adrianne Reynolds.
In January 2005 there was a fight between teenagers in a
Taco Bell parking lot that left Reynolds dead. Then at a farm in
Millersberg, Illinois, the teens burned and dismembered her body before
hiding the remains at Blackhawk State Park.
One of the teens, Cory Gregory, led police to Reynolds'
body just days after the murder.
Adrianne's uncle Mike McCollum says if it weren't for
Gregory, this case might be unsolved like the murder of his friend Jone
Knapton.
"They never would have found her body," he said. "They'd
still be looking for her."
Adrianne's father Tony Reynolds says he'll never forgive
Cory Gregory and Sarah Kolb for taking away his daughter, even though
Gregory did plead guilty to the crime, which saved the family the agony
of a third trial.
"I didn't want anybody to think just because he showed
them where the body was that he'd done anyone a favor," he said. "He
put it there."
On the other side of the courtroom on Monday was Cory
Gregory's mother Theresa Gregory, who wept when her son's future was
handed down. Gregory will get out of prison in his 60s.
"I love my son Cory very much and I hope that some day
the Reynolds family can find peace and forgiveness," she said.
Before handing down the maximum sentence, Judge Walter
Braud said one thing missing from the plea deal is 'why and what
actually happened to Adrianne.' That's something the Reynolds family
doesn't expect to ever hear.
Today they did hear an apology. Gregory said he would
give his life to bring Adrianne back.
"I guess he's glad he said it," said Tony Reynolds. "I
guess I'm glad I heard it. It doesn't change a whole lot. It still
won't bring Adrianne back."
Cory Gregory will serve all of the 40 years for the
murder charge. He gets no credit for good behavior. But he does get
credit for time served on the concealment charge.
Gregory's attorney
doesn't expect an appeal to be filed.
Gregory sentenced to 45 years in
prison
Quad-Cities Online
Mon, July 10, 2006
An apologetic Cory Gregory was sentenced today to 45
years in prison for the death of classmate Adrianne Reynolds, even after
the victim's uncle requested leniency for the teenage killer.
At a sentencing beset with tears from everyone but
the Moline teen, Rock Island County Circuit Court Judge Walter Braud
handed down the maximum sentence allowed by the plea agreement reached
with prosecutors.
?All I really want to do is apologize. It's all I
really can do,? Mr. Gregory said, a hint of sadness coming from his
voice. ?If I could give my life to bring her back, I would.?
Outside the normal arguing over how much of the
possible 20 to 40 years for first-degree murder Mr. Gregory would serve,
the greatest surprise, even to Rock Island County State's Attorney Jeff
Terronez, came when Mike McCollum, Ms. Reynolds' uncle, asked for
leniency for Mr. Gregory.
Defense attorney Steve Hanna read the letter from Mr.
McCollum, in which he called Mr. Gregory an ?unwilling accomplice? with
Sarah Kolb. He wrote after visiting with his pastor and Mr. Gregory, Mr.
McCollum found the Lord was working in him.
Tony Reynolds, Adrianne's adopted father, said Mr.
McCollum's letter created no rift in the family. His main concern was
that Mr. Gregory got the maximum.
?Doesn't feel like I won anything for sure,? Mr.
Reynolds said tearfully following the hearing. Still to be sentenced in
the case is Sarah Kolb, 18, Milan, who earlier was convicted of two
counts of first-degree murder and one count of concealment of a homicide.
She is to be sentenced Aug. 18, and faces up to 60 years in prison.
Ms. Reynolds' January 21, 2005, death shocked and
captivated Quad-Citians. She was initially reported missing by her
father and stepmother, Tony and Joann Reynolds. Ms. Kolb, Mr. Gregory,
and a third teen, Nathan Gaudet, were arrested a few days later after Mr.
Gregory led police to the girl's burned and dismembered body on a Mercer
County farm and in Blackhawk State Historic Site.
Both teens now are convicted of strangling Ms.
Reynolds in Ms. Kolb's car in a Taco Bell parking lot in Moline.
Prosecutors theorized Mr. Gregory held Ms. Reynolds' arms while Ms. Kolb
choked her. Then they strangled her with a belt.
The two then took Ms. Reynolds body to a farm in
rural Mercer County where it was burned and dismembered. Mr. Gaudet
admitted to helping dismember and burn the body at the Mercer County
farm.
Mr. Gaudet pleaded guilty to a juvenile count of
concealing a homicide and is serving an indeterminate sentence at the
Illinois Youth Center in Harrisburg. He testified at both of Ms. Kolb's
trials.
During her trial, Ms. Kolb testified that Mr. Gregory
killed Ms. Reynolds. Mr. Gregory told Ms. Reynolds' parents he was in
the car at the time of her death, but didn't kill her.
Terms of the April 27 plea agreement
-- Gregory to plead guilty to a single count of first
degree murder
-- Sentence on the murder charge will be between 20
and 40 years
-- Murder sentence will consectutively to sentence
for concealing a homicide.
-- Gregory will meet with Ms. Reynolds parents to
explain his role in murder.
-- A second count of first degree murder will be
dropped.
-- Mercer County will not file dismemberment of a
body charges against Gregory.
