Crime & Safety
Accused Killer Seeks to Have Murder Charges Dismissed in Toni Keller Case
DeKalb newspaper reports that attorneys for William "Billy" Curl filed a motion to have five counts of first-degree murder charges dropped, seek to block witness.
The man accused in the slaying of an 18-year-old from Plainfield was in court Tuesday as his attorneys moved to dismiss all five first-degree murder charges, according to the DeKalb Daily Chronicle.
William “Billy” Curl, 36, is also charged with one count of criminal sexual assault, one count of arson and one count of concealing a homicidal death in the 2010 murder of Northern Illinois University freshman Antinette “Toni” Keller.
Find out what's happening in Plainfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
On Tuesday, Curl appeared in court via closed-circuit TV as his attorneys filed motions to dismiss the murder charges “because they do not specify what acts caused Keller’s death,” which prevents the accused killer from adequately preparing a defense, the Chronicle reported.
According to the report, a second defense motion requested a hearing to determine whether testimony from expert criminologist Daniel McDevitt, a witness for the defense, should be allowed. Prosecutors filed a similar motion seeking to bar testimony from Dr. Jayne Braden, who conducted a psychological evaluation of Curl. Click here to read the full Chronicle article.
Find out what's happening in Plainfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Keller, a freshman art major at NIU and Neuqua Valley High School graduate, disappeared Oct. 14, 2010 after telling friends she was going to take photos for an art assignment in a DeKalb Park.
Her remains, which police allege were burned in an attempt to conceal the crime, were discovered two days later.
Earlier this month, friends and supporters of the Keller family gathered to mark the two-year anniversary of Toni’s death.
Curl’s trial, which has already been delayed twice, is scheduled to start Dec. 3. A hearing on the new motions is scheduled for Nov. 13.
- Keller’s Memory in Bloom at NIU
- Fund Established to Purchase Bench in Honor of 'Sunflower Girl' Toni Keller
- Toni Keller Murder Trial Delayed Until December
- Public Defender Resigns in Keller Murder Trial
- ‘Summoning of the Yellow’ to Support Keller Family
--------------------------
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
