Monday, December 30, 2013

Wm. Ross in jail - who pays?

William J. Ross is still in jail in Las Vegas. He was arrested and jailed on November 7, after Jacqueline Schaefer's body was found in his house on November 6. Ross is charged in McHenry County with Concealment of a Homicidal Death (Case No. 13CF001037).

Who is paying for the Clark County (Nev.) Correctional Facility (in Las Vegas) to house him? Will McHenry County get the bill for $70-90/day?

The first question that came to my mind is, how did the McHenry County Sheriff's Department (MCSD) complete its investigation so quickly (in just one day) and decide to charge him?
 
The house on property apparently titled to him was reportedly unoccupied, as in "vacant"; not lived in. According to published reports, anyway; it may have been vacant for more than 18 months. The room inside was sealed up. How did they conclude so quickly that Ross was the one who concealed the death?

Did Judge Gordon Graham issue the warrant for his arrest on November 6 or 7? A status hearing was scheduled in his court for November 21. Then Judge Caldwell issued a new warrant on December 18, after the Grand Jury heard information about Ross. The next McHenry County court date is June 18, when a status hearing on Judge Caldwell's warrant is scheduled before Judge Prather.

How long does a Governor's extradition take? Did Gov. Quinn approve it? Is it on the Nevada Governor's desk now? More than seven weeks have passed?

Did MCSD just say, "Hey, it's his house. He must have concealed the body." Is that enough to get a felony charge accepted by the State's Attorney Office?

The concealment statute is now 720 ILCS 5/9-3.4 (not 720 ILCS 5/9-3.1, as shown in the online Court record). Section 9-3.4 (a) reads, "A person commits the offense of concealment of homicidal death when he or she knowingly conceals the death of any other person with knowledge that such other person has died by homicidal means."

How the deputies know almost immediately that it was Ross who knowingly concealed Jacqueline Schaefer's body in his house?

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