Lifesupporters.com Forums - View Single Post

Merika · 05-12-2005, 08:24 AM

from CNN.com:

Father Charged In Girls' Deaths

ZION, Illinois (CNN) -- Police have taken Jerry Hobbs into custody and charged him with murdering his 8-year-old daughter, Laura, and her best friend, 9-year-old Krystal Tobias.

The second-grade classmates are believed to have been stabbed to death Sunday on Mother's Day.

He was reported to have found the girls' bodies early Monday in a wooded park just blocks away from their elementary school, said police in Zion, about 40 miles north of Chicago.

Lake County State's Attorney Michael Waller declined to speculate on a motive, saying there was no "rational explanation" for the killings.

Hobbs, 34, could face the death penalty. But Waller said whether to pursue it is not a decision he wants to make "in the heat of the moment."

"The arrest today is the first step in the process of bringing this person to justice," he said.

Waller said the girls were not lured to the park; rather they encountered Hobbs there.

Waller said police questioned several relatives, but the others "didn't pique the officers' interest like he did."

"We believe we have a compelling case against this defendant, and all of that will come out in due course," he said.

Hobbs' bond hearing is scheduled for Wednesday morning.

Hobbs was released from prison in Texas last month after serving nearly two years for violating his probation. He had been serving time after pleading guilty to assault in 2001 against Laura's mother, Sheila Hollabaugh, said Rick Mahler, an assistant district attorney in Wichita Falls, Texas.

"He started chasing people around with a chainsaw that was running," Mahler said. "Somebody hit him with a shovel, knocked him down. Those people held him until the police arrived."

Hobbs was arrested again in 2003 after failing to show up for visits with his probation officer and skipping anger management classes.

In addition, Hobbs has served time in county jails on a variety of misdemeanor charges, ranging from assault to possession of marijuana and resisting arrest, Mahler said.

School Superintendent Connie Collins said the killings have left the community "in terrible shock."

"It's very difficult to begin to understand something like this," Collins said. "It's something that was not expected. In a community like this, we have never had this type of experience, so it's been very difficult for everyone."
----------------------------------------------------------
This man has already DONE prison time. OBVIOULSY, he wasn't rehabilitated. I wouldn't even bother with lethal injection....I'd plug in the 'big chair'.

BTW: My Republican Team Leader lives in this particular town and has a granddaughter. For a couple of days, with only 20,000 in this town, those people were just shocked and dazed.

05-12-2005, 08:24 AM	#1 (permalink)
Merika Retired Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Florida, USA Posts: 13,268	Why I Support The Death Penalty from CNN.com: Father Charged In Girls' Deaths ZION, Illinois (CNN) -- Police have taken Jerry Hobbs into custody and charged him with murdering his 8-year-old daughter, Laura, and her best friend, 9-year-old Krystal Tobias. The second-grade classmates are believed to have been stabbed to death Sunday on Mother's Day. He was reported to have found the girls' bodies early Monday in a wooded park just blocks away from their elementary school, said police in Zion, about 40 miles north of Chicago. Lake County State's Attorney Michael Waller declined to speculate on a motive, saying there was no "rational explanation" for the killings. Hobbs, 34, could face the death penalty. But Waller said whether to pursue it is not a decision he wants to make "in the heat of the moment." "The arrest today is the first step in the process of bringing this person to justice," he said. Waller said the girls were not lured to the park; rather they encountered Hobbs there. Waller said police questioned several relatives, but the others "didn't pique the officers' interest like he did." "We believe we have a compelling case against this defendant, and all of that will come out in due course," he said. Hobbs' bond hearing is scheduled for Wednesday morning. Hobbs was released from prison in Texas last month after serving nearly two years for violating his probation. He had been serving time after pleading guilty to assault in 2001 against Laura's mother, Sheila Hollabaugh, said Rick Mahler, an assistant district attorney in Wichita Falls, Texas. "He started chasing people around with a chainsaw that was running," Mahler said. "Somebody hit him with a shovel, knocked him down. Those people held him until the police arrived." Hobbs was arrested again in 2003 after failing to show up for visits with his probation officer and skipping anger management classes. In addition, Hobbs has served time in county jails on a variety of misdemeanor charges, ranging from assault to possession of marijuana and resisting arrest, Mahler said. School Superintendent Connie Collins said the killings have left the community "in terrible shock." "It's very difficult to begin to understand something like this," Collins said. "It's something that was not expected. In a community like this, we have never had this type of experience, so it's been very difficult for everyone." ---------------------------------------------------------- This man has already DONE prison time. OBVIOULSY, he wasn't rehabilitated. I wouldn't even bother with lethal injection....I'd plug in the 'big chair'. BTW: My Republican Team Leader lives in this particular town and has a granddaughter. For a couple of days, with only 20,000 in this town, those people were just shocked and dazed.