Trial Delayed for Man Accused of Murdering Plainfield woman

The trial of the man accused of murdering Antinette “Toni” Keller of Plainfield in October 2010 has been delayed until June 11, the DeKalb Daily Chronicle reported Tuesday.

The trial for  William Curl, 35, of DeKalb, was originally scheduled to begin May 7. On Monday, DeKalb County Presiding Judge Robbin Stuckert granted a motion by public defender Regina Harris to delay the proceedings to allow more time to prepare Curl’s defense.

Curl entered a plea of not guilty on five counts of first-degree murder and one count each of arson, criminal sexual assault and concealing a homicidal death.

At the time of her death, Keller was an 18-year-old student at Northern Illinois University. She disappeared while taking an afternoon walk in a park near the NIU campus. Her burned remains were discovered in a wooded area of the park Oct. 15, 2010.

Police began suspecting Curl of the murder when he failed to attend a second interview with detectives, who were talking to people known to frequent the park. Police later tracked Curl to Mexico and Louisiana, where he was arrested.

Curl remains in the DeKalb County jail awaiting trial.