The Vaughn family murders in Illinois in 2007 have long divided those interested in the crimes. The tragic incident took place on what should have been an exciting day at a local waterpark for the family.
Chris Vaughn, his wife Kimberly, and their three children left the house in the early hours of the morning of June 14, 2007. Around 5:15 a.m., a motorist pulled over after seeing Chris limping away from his car with two gunshot wounds. When the motorist asked Chris what happened, he said he believed his wife had shot him.
When police arrived on the scene, they found Chris to be in shock and unable to understand what was going on. In the family's car, 34-year-old Kimberly, 12-year-old Abigayle, 11-year-old Cassandra, and 8-year-old Blake were found dead of gunshot wounds.
Investigators and prosecutors later determined that Chris was the shooter after discovering he'd taken out a $1 million life insurance policy on his wife. He'd also been corresponding with a Canadian wilderness expert about living off-grid, which they believe would have been his next move if not for the arrest.
Chris Vaughn was ultimately convicted of four counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to four life sentences. There's a large team behind Chris, including his family, that believes in his innocence. They explain that Kimberly was experiencing erratic mood and personality changes as a result of migraine medications and was even discussing other options with her doctors at the time of the murders.
As for the life insurance policy, Chris' parents explained that the policies were taken out a few years before the murders. There were policies taken out on both of them for large sums, at the advice of a financial advisor. They noted that Chris never fought for the payout of the policy, which was given to Kimberly's family.
Chris' legal team is beginning the process of seeking clemency. The process could take years, but it is the last chance for a man who is clinging to his claims of innocence and the family who wants to see him come home. Yet most can't ignore the other family involved, who mourn the loss of four loved ones and are left unable to understand why.
