It was McKee who actually called police which led to discovering the victims. Massaro, who Bill McKee, accused of being a bad influence on his daughter, made out a lot better than her longtime pal. She soon left the house, dropped her daughter. He's like, 'otherwise we're gonna have a problem. Ok, I dont even know why Im doing this anymore, he said. At McKees sentencing hearing, her mother, Teresa McKee, said her daughter is bipolar, suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, cuts herself, is unsure who fathered her then-3-year-old daughter and has been hospitalized for extensive periods of time due to her psychiatric problems. "The fact is that Bethany was not in the room when these young men were tragically killed. "My daughter was in the house when that went on," Westbrook said. She testified that about an hour after the victims arrived, Josh gave her a signal, which she demonstrated as a hand across the throat gesture. She (Alisa) is also one of the participants along with josh who had sex on top of the deceased bodies. ", 'Josh Miner Would Have Made Bethany McKee His 3rd Murder Victim'. Massaro was sentenced to 10 years. Bethany McKee, 20, was sentenced sentenced for the 2013 murders of Eric Glover and Terrance Rankins, according to ABC7Chicago.com. McKee went downstairs where Massaro's father was sleeping on a couch. After the victims arrived, McKee and Massaro were signaled to leave so Miner and Landerman could take their money, prosecutors said. The four young suspects, Alisa Massaro (pictured top right), 18; Bethany McKee (pictured bottom left), 18; Adam Landerman (pictured top left), 19 (his mother is a Joliet police sergeant); and. Massaro, 23, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of robbery and concealing a homicide in exchange for her testimony. To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com. "Judge Kinney thought a life sentence was 'inappropriate' for Bethany, and we believe that anyone who has all of the information about Bethany's story would agree with him. McKee, 19, along with three of her friendsAdam Landerman, 20, Alisa Massaro, 19, and Joshua Miner, 25all face first-degree murder charges in connection with the strangulation deaths of Eric. Adam Landerman, 21, is also charged in the murders. "They said, 'Oh, we can just beat them up and kill them and we can get the money because they knew he had a lot of money. "First and foremost, we do not intend for our advocacy for Bethany, who was also the victim of violence during her life, to minimize the tragedy that two young men lost their lives," White-Domain told Joliet Patch during last week's interview. Kohut points to two other Illinois cases that involved murders and convictions based on the accountability theory. Rankinswas carrying $120, which McKee and the others divided up to pay for gas, alcohol and cigarettes, prosecutors said. And he was like, yeah, for real. / CBS News. McKee and Massaro, who lived together along with McKees daughter, invited the victims to their Hickory Street home, prosecutors said. Bethany McKee, 20, will spend her natural life in prison after being sentenced on Tuesday for her role in the 2013 murders of Eric Glover and Terrance Rankins. According to court documents Bethany McKee, who was pregnant at the time, and three others Joshua Miner, Adam Landerman and Alissa Massaro planned the robbery of the two men. They looked like bad news.Westbrook said that after the hearing, he and his mother met with the McKees so he could visit his daughter. Difficult to forget -- the phone call Bethany made to her father from a house on Hickory Street in Joliet. "He did the right thing and we appreciate that, so our prayers go out that family as well," said D'Arcy Kent, Terrance Rankins' uncle. She said Miner wanted to scalp his head and wear it like a hat.. McKee stated she passed out in the next room and did not witness any sexual contact among the other suspects, though Massaro told her the next day Miner choked her while unsuccessfully trying to have intercourse. I'm open-minded, compassionate, sensitive, emotional and loyal. Join Facebook to connect with Bethany McKee and others you may know. McKee's attorneys chose a bench trial rather than a jury trial. https://abc7chicago.com/bethany-mckee-terrance-rankins-eric-glover-joshua-miner/380156/, Bethany McKee is currently incarcerated at the Logan Correctional Facility, Your email address will not be published. She deserves mercy as it is properly bestowed through the clemency process," argued McKee's lawyer, White-Domain. McKee was only 18 years old at the time of her first-degree murder arrest by Joliet police. Massaro pleaded guilty to lesser charges and agreed to testify against the others. Shes confused, said Bethany McKees father, Bill McKee. Im stressed out," said Glovers mother, Nicole Jones. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Aquascape's Annual Fish and Plants Spring Sale! She obviously terrified.. McKee is now taking caring of his daughter's three-year-old girl. McKee was found guilty under the theory of accountability, where prosecutors argued she knew or should have known that the two men could be killed as part of the robbery. During her imprisonment, McKee has completed 21 Bible study courses including from the American Bible Academy, Prisoners for Christ Outreach Ministries and Rhema Correspondence Bible School and she has consistently maintained an A grade across eight of her American Bible Academy courses. McKee apologized to the families in court. planned to keep the dead mens teeth as trophies, dismembered the bodies to conceal the killings. They are committed to regaining McKee's freedom, and trying to accomplish that goal in 2023. McKee, who had her 15- month- old daughter with her, said she left the house to drop the girl off with a friend. McKees attorneys said in court Monday there is no forensic evidence tying her to the deaths and the slayings were committed by the other defendants. Aquascape's Annual Fish and Plants Spring Sale! One police officer remarked that McKee knew they were going to do this. Review: Umamicue at Spilt Milk Tavern forges identity with brisket banh mi, Daywatch: Downstate city considers ban on mailing abortion pills, How NFC North teams fared in the NFL draft: With Aaron Rodgers gone, the division looks wide open, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Required fields are marked *. Joliet Area Prospective Homeowners: See 5 New Properties On The Market, Female Joliet Officer Stabbed In Stomach During Arrest, Multiple Bomb Threat For Joliet's Hollywood Casino, Angry Gunman Confronts Homeowner On Ingalls: Cops. McKees daughter, 20-year-old Bethany McKee, was found guilty of killing both Terrance Rankins and Eric Glover despite not even being in the same room when they were slain. We didnt argue at all. The Rankins family, while still grieving, say they are grateful to Bill McKee. I didn't want Bethany to get caught up any further into it," he says. '", When the detective asked McKee what would have happened, if she tried to stop them from kicking the bodies, she replied, "All three of us would have been dead. McKee went down for the January 2013 murders of Terrance Rankins and Eric Glover, both 22, because a judge believed she came up with the idea to lure Rankins to the Hickory Street home of her friend Alisa Massaro. CHICAGO - The father of a suspect involved in what Joliet, Ill., police have called one of the most vicious crimes they've ever witnessed, says the day he turned her in was "one of the hardest days of my life," reports CBS Chicago. Our story hasnt been heard yet, and the truth needs to be told, Bill McKee says in his blog. McKee is now taking care of Bethany's three-year-old daughter. To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com. McKees attorney, Bryon Kohut, also argues McKee was just 18 years old at the time of the killings, had no criminal background and suffered from considerable mental health issues and horrific abuses as a teenager. The Illinois Prison Project revealed that "Bethany is seeking a commutation of her life sentence to time served, or in the alternative, to a period of 20 years of 100 percent, which would not result in her release until January 10, 2033. She (Alisa) is also one of the participants along with josh who had sex on top of the deceased bodies. We always came to an agreement.Westbrook said he has not communicated with McKee since she was locked up. The way the law is written, I really have no authority, Judge Kinney said, citing his lack of sentencing options for McKee, whom he found guilty in August of 2014. Log in or register to view full address. He was like, 'Adam, you got me?' After the two men were dead, Miner, Bethany McKee, Massaro and Landerman used their money to buy cocaine, gasoline and cigarettes. Landerman, the son of a Joliet police officer, was found in the basement of the home, lying in the fetal position and at first he refused to respond to officers commands, according to testimony. "However, she could not recall any specific statement that Bethany made," the Illinois Prison Project lawyers argue on McKee's behalf. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. He allegedly questioned her but did not investigate the racket upstairs, which she described as thumping that lasted for a few minutes. She has no idea whats going on.. The police turned the girl over to McKees parents, Teresa and Bill McKee of Shorewood. Adam Landerman, 21, is awaiting. "My mind was racing with a million thoughts," McKee said. Massaros plea deal doesnt sit well with Bill McKee. Bethany McKee and Massaro lured Rankins and Glover to Massaros Hickory Street nightmare house but left the room while Landerman and Miner carried out the killings, according to police reports obtained exclusively by Patch. He is awaiting trial. I have a 6 yr old daughter who is my world. Bethany McKee, 20, is. Police believe Landerman brought tools to dismember the bodies. When she returned, she learned Glover and Rankins were slain. "No," McKee answered. Adam Landerman, a 19-year-old whose father worked as a sergeant with the Joliet Police Department, rounded out the group. The Rankins family, while still grieving, say they are grateful to Bill McKee. Even after attending each day of his daughters murder trial, Bill McKee believes the real story of how two men ended up strangled to death in a house on Joliets Hickory Street remains untold. She started serving her life sentence for the murders last week. August 7, 2014 / 6:58 PM Alisa Massaro and McKee had been best friends since they were little girls. She also had a young daughter. He is crazy. I didn't think it would happen," McKee said during the interview. McKee said she took her daughter downstairs and sat on the floor of a small room after Miner and Landerman began to attack the two men upstairs. Unable to come to grips with losing his daughter to prison, Bill McKee launched a blog questioning the conventional wisdom of the murder case. On Jan. 10, 2013, McKee called her father to ask about disposing of the bodies and Bill McKee then called 911, prosecutors said. And he has lost touch with his daughter now that her grandparents are keeping her from him.Shes loved by both sides, she should be shared by both sides, said Bernina Westbrook.She can still see her grandparents. I knew Josh was crazy. McKee is on trial for first-degree murder. The front door was unlocked. Seems like she wants to breakdown every day, Johnson said. I thought by putting this blog out to the world it would bring me some advise and help. Free Learn for Life Webinar: Entrepreneurship Fundamentals. As the state mandates, Judge Kinney sentenced McKee to natural life in prison. In addition to pursuing a post-conviction appeal in Will County, the Illinois Prison Project has a separate executive clemency petition in front of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker. Bethany McKee, 23, was sentenced to life in prison three years ago after being found guilty of murder for the strangulation deaths of Terrance Rankins and Eric Glover. And. It would have never happened if she didnt bring him there.. Miner strangled Rankins, 22, to death and Landerman allegedly throttled Glover, also 22, but the women were also charged with the double slaying because the deaths resulted from a plot to rob the young men. The 22-year-old agreed to a plea deal to avoid a life sentence in the case. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. On Monday, her defense attorney's motion for a new trial was denied. Glovers brother Mark Johnson said he was unsure and scared about what he might hear in court. Bethany McKee, 20, will spend her natural life in prison after being sentenced on Tuesday for her role in the 2013 murders of Eric Glover and Terrance Rankins. Video of McKee's interview with Joliet Detectives Stephen Diehl and Tim Powers was played in court Tuesday during the second day of her trial for the murder of Rankins and his friend Eric Glover in January 2013. Mandatory sentencing is just inappropriate, Judge Kinney declared in 2014. Miner and Landerman were also sentenced to life in prison. She's in jail because he turned her in. Joliet Zonta Club Awards Woman Of The Year, Karl Ferrell, Joliet Township Trustee, Cannot Stay In Office: Judges, Joliet Domestic Abuser Sent Off To Prison, Glasgow Pleased, Teardrop Pancake House Adds Dinner Menu: 'I Think It's A Great Menu', Glory Days Bar & Grill Takes Over Former Front Street Cantina Space. When the teenage girls went downstairs, Massaro's father, Phillip, was sleeping on his couch and he woke up when he heard a loud noise from upstairs. On the video recording, McKee told Diehl and Powers she felt threatened into going along with the plan to rob her friend. Bill McKee was the one who called the cops on his daughter and her friends. "Josh was like, 'well, you have to kick him.' "I am no longer weak-minded and instead I look forward to life's struggles so that I may overcome them in the right ways, finally, and grow even more," McKee wrote in an essay called "The Person I Am Today. Miner confessed to coming up with the robbery scheme. Elusive details of one of Joliet's most gruesome double homicides began to be revealed Monday when the bench trial began for one of four people arrested in the case. "Bethany is a brilliant and kind person who has spent her incarceration working to understand her past trauma and remain a supportive mother to her now 10-year-old daughter. Adam, no.". Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Miner told Joliet police he killed one of the victims and that Landerman killed the other victim. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. She later left the Nightmare on Hickory Street house and dropped her daughter off at a friend's home. Moments before a Will County judge sentenced her to life in prison Tuesday, Bethany McKee offered a tearful apology to the families of the two men she was convicted of killing. A 22-year-old woman will be spending life in prison for her role in a double murder, an Illinois judge ruled Tuesday. United States. grant-funded Illinois Prison Project in Chicago. I did not think that that was gonna happen when you talk about things, it's joking. NW Side restaurant burglarized 4 times in 5 weeks, owners say: VIDEO, Trump team in defamation, battery trial requests mistrial, Paying more despite good credit? Ok, I dont even know why Im doing this anymore, he said. The Illinois Prison Project is trying to convince Will County Judge Sarah Jones to allow for an evidentiary hearing on their efforts to reduce McKee's mandatory life in prison sentence. McKee, Massaro, 23, Josh Miner, 28, and Adam Landerman, 23, were broke and wanted to buy more cigarettes and alcohol, so they hatched a scheme to kill and rob Rankins, whom McKee believed would be carrying drugs and a lot of money. She received a 10-year sentence and is eligible for parole in 2018 according to the Illinois Department of Corrections website. Bill McKee confirmed he is the author of the blog, which also includes postings from Bethanys younger sister, Trisha McKee. She has just gotten away with murder, Bill McKee said in his blog. God taught me that.". Several of the victims' family members left the courtroom when the evidence technician began to testify. Westbrook, 16, said he had no idea McKee was headed his way when she was arrested near his home. She took the stand at McKees trial but prosecutors didnt even bother to call her for Miners or for Landermans. McKee said Miner and Landerman used racial epithets while beating on the bodies. Kohut said the earliest the states high court could review the case is September. At her trial, Will County prosecutors said McKee and three others Joshua Miner, Adam Landerman and Alissa Massaro plotted to rob and kill Rankins and Glover. Bill McKee said he went to the police when Bethany refused to tell him where she was keeping her baby daughter. NL VFW Tues Bingo, Up To $14,500 In Prizes-Vets Raffle $150 Lowes Card from Kathy & Cheyenne. These days, the 28-year-old McKee continues to serve out her life prison sentence in Lincoln, Illlinois, at the Logan Correctional Center near Springfield. She knew that she could become the next victim.". POSTAL MAIL OPTION: EMAIL FORWARDING OPTION: TYPE AND PRINT OPTION: Bethany McKee #R91596. The altercation went on, Miner said, until Rankins and Glover were dead. All Im asking for is visitation.Bill McKee, acknowledged Westbrooks complaints but said he is putting the childfirst.As responsible grandparents, we have (her) best interests at heart, he said. Westbrook remembers the moment he heard the mother of his child was jailed on murder charges in connection with abrutal double-slaying in Joliet.I just dropped the phone, said Westbrook. How do you call on your daughter like this?. The groups like Depression and Anger Management teaches certain skills, but having a relationship with God teaches you how to put all of that into work and it shows the reward you get out of it, and that's really what helped build me. He said his mother, Jones, has not been sleeping well and has been dreaming about the trial. They did not stay together as a couple but still maintained a good relationship throughout their daughter'syoung life, he said.We got along, he said. Bethany McKee is being viewed as a monster when she is nothing of the sort, he wrote. Generally, a decision takes between two and four years, according to the Illinois Prison Project. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Bethany McKee had picked up her daughter when she saw police surrounding the house and drove to Kankakee, where she was arrested. Defense attorneys argued that McKee did not physically harm the men, that she is mentally ill, had been abducted into a sex trafficking ring at 14 and had a history of substance drug abuse. Officer Nicholas Amelio testified earlier Tuesday that small garden shears, a utility knife, two hand knives, a pair of scissors, a hacksaw and a second blade were found near Rankins' body, along with a hand-held propane torch. 4 Restaurants In Channahon-Minooka To Take Mom On Mexican Mothers Day, Teardrop Pancake House Adds Dinner Menu: 'I Think It's A Great Menu', T-Mobile Tuesdays: Get Free Stuff And Great Perks Every Week. Murders Snitch Getting Out Of Prison, Nightmare On Hickory: Joliet Wins FOIA Lawsuit Against Hosey. ", Sentencing Judge Didn't Want To Give McKee Life Prison Term. He and his friends got the idea to rip off Rankins and Glover because they were broke and wanted to buy cigarettes and alcohol, prosecutor Tricia McKenna said during Bethany McKees trial. I'm defiantly not the brightest crayon in the box, but I'm not completely . On Thursday, co-defendant Alisa Massaro testified that "Bethany suggested calling Terrancebecause he probably had money.". Yes it is true that Bethany did not leave the scene of the crime or even call the police after she realized what had happened, but if you were wearing her shoes after she was threatened by the very people that have already committed these murders what would you have done, he said. Your email address will not be published. Its almost as if Im writing a journal now, No one is even commenting. In his blog, Bill McKee said his daughter only stuck around after the murders because she feared she would be killed as well. "Can you please make sure my baby goes back to my mom?" Despite sad picture of Bethany McKee's childhood painted by attorneys and parents, judge sentences her to life for role in double homicide . "I asked her over and over again, 'Are you serious?' We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. NL VFW Tues Bingo, Up To $14,500 In Prizes-Vets Raffle $150 Lowes Card from Kathy & Cheyenne. After Landerman offered McKee and Massaro a drink of soda, the women prepared to go downstairs with McKee's daughter while Miner jumped Rankins. https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/ct-sta-joliet-hickory-street-murders-appeal-st-0802-20170801-story.html. Logan CC IL. In those cases, the mandatory life sentence was eventually ruled unconstitutional based on the defendants young ages, lack of criminal history and support of family, according to court documents filed last month. The Logan Correctional Center is 30 miles north of Springfield and this is where McKee has transformed her life, according to her Illinois Prison Project lawyers. If they have already proven that they are capable of murder, wouldnt you believe them if they told you that the will kill you also? On the night of the murders, the four were drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes but ran out and robbery became the last decision made by the group. Both bodies were face down with plastic bags over the heads, one resting on a pillow and the other on towels, the officers said. To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com. In the end the two men were strangled to death. JOLIET, Ill. -- Bethany McKee, 20, will spend her natural life in prison after being sentenced on Tuesday for her role in the 2013 murders of Eric Glover and Terrance Rankins. But it hasnt.. Bethany McKee and three others are accused of helping to murderTerrance Rankins and Eric Glover last year. In the wake of the slayings, Miner also spoke of flaying one of the dead men and wearing his face like a mask, McKee told detectives during an interrogation at the Kankakee Police Department. Their bodies were found with plastic bags over their heads inside a home on Hickory Street in Joliet, Ill. "She is the reason he was there," said Jamille Kent, Rankins' mother. If they have already proven that they are capable of murder, wouldnt you believe them if they told you that the will kill you also? His 18-month-old daughters mother, Bethany McKee, is still in jail facing murder charges along with three of her palsJoshua Miner, 24, Adam Landerman, 19, and Alisa Massaro, 19. McKee spoke with her father to ask for help getting rid of the bodies, but William McKee notified police. Joliet Area Prospective Homeowners: See 5 New Properties On The Market, Female Joliet Officer Stabbed In Stomach During Arrest, Multiple Bomb Threat For Joliet's Hollywood Casino, Angry Gunman Confronts Homeowner On Ingalls: Cops. Thisteen killerdid not participate in the actual double murder however her participation would end with a life without parole sentence. A short time later, Joliet police arrived at the home on Hickory Street. I know how Josh is. August 11, 2014 / 9:30 AM Unlike McKee, Massaro pleaded guilty to a reduced felony charge and she got out of prison in 2018, after only five years of incarceration. "In her statement, Bethany also describes, horrifically, that her co-defendants later hit and kicked the bodies repeatedly and discussed how to dispose of them. "She's confused," said Bethany McKee's father, Bill McKee. Who holds the state who offered the deal and the judge who agreed with it and signed off on it accountable?. Aquascape's Annual Fish and Plants Spring Sale! Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. First published on August 7, 2014 / 6:58 PM. Bethany L. MCKEE, Defendant-Appellant. Judge Gerald Kinney was critical of the state's sentencing guidelines. I feel once this story is told, anybody would understand.". Upon being arrested, she gave a long statement to Kankakee police, describing a conversation between Miner and Landerman regarding a "plan" to rob Rankins and Glover. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Julie Larson, remains locked up in the Will County jail while he waits on his own murder trial to start. Massaro pleaded guilty to lesser charges and agreed to testify against the others. Bethany McKee, 23; Joshua Miner, 29; and Adam Landerman, 24; all were convicted of the murders and sentenced to life in prison. She also had a young daughter. "It was one of the hardest days of my life thus far. ", McKee's essay includes the following self-assessment: "Thankfully, this time I've been incarcerated has taught me many things about myself as well. I couldn't even fathom that this was going on," McKee said. As the state mandates, Judge Kinney sentenced McKee to natural life in prison. But it hasnt.. A judge is expected to rule in the murder trial sometime next week. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. With a clemency petition, there's no telling when the governor will rule on the request. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. McKee apologized to the families in court. They allegedly returned to the apartment where the bodies had been left and proceeded to kick, punch and bludgeon them. Joshua Miner, 26, the mastermind behind the murders, was found guilty last month. How much sicker can one get? CBS 2's Dorothy Tucker talks to the father who sent his own daughter to jail. To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. McKee was found guilty in the murders by a judge in August. She shouldnt have to be charged with both bodies.. Bethany McKee was desperate for money when she and three others concocted a detailed plan to lure two men to her Joliet home and rob them, prosecutors said Monday, the first day of McKees murder trial. McKee, 20, is the first of three defendants to go on trial in the slayings of Eric Glover and Terrance Rankins, both 22. A judge is expected to decide her fate next week. In an appellate court ruling upholding Will County Judge Gerald Kinneys decision to impose a life sentence, appellate court justices in their written ruling noted McKee actively participated in planning the crime and was an instigator. They noted she lured the two men to the apartment, made the suggestion to rob Rankins, used money that was stolen from the two men to buy gas and stole various items, including baby boots, from Glovers car after he died, according to court documents.

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