Missouri judge orders murder suspect held without bond

ST. CHARLES, Mo. -- A suburban Chicago man accused of killing his wife and three children was ordered held without bond Monday, while Illinois officials prepared their case to have him returned to face murder charges.

Christopher Vaughn, 32 -- wearing an orange jail uniform, handcuffs and leg irons -- said nothing during the brief hearing, during which St. Charles County Associate Judge William Lohmar revoked a $1 million cash bond set earlier.

Vaughn was arrested Saturday at a St. Charles funeral home just hours before a memorial service for 34-year-old Kimberly Vaughn and the couple's children, Abigayle, 12, Cassandra, 11, and Blake, 8.

They were found shot to death June 14 in the family's parked sport utility vehicle along a service road near Channahon, Ill., southwest of Chicago, after a wounded Christopher Vaughn flagged down a motorist.

Vaughn is jailed in Missouri as an out-of-state fugitive, and prosecutors in Will County, Ill., have charged him with eight counts of first-degree murder -- two for each victim.

A visitor looked over the grave markers of Kimberly Vaughn, 34, and her children, Abigayle, 12, Cassandra, 11, and Blake, 8, Saturday in the St. Charles Memorial Garden cemetery in St. Charles, Mo. Kimberly's husband, Christopher Vaughn, found shot near the bodies of his wife and their three children in the family sport utility vehicle earlier this month, was charged Saturday in their deaths. (Kyle Ericson ~ Associated Press)

He must be extradited to Illinois to face murder charges against him; Monday's hearing concerned only the fugitive charge.

On Monday afternoon, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed an extradition order for Vaughn, and it was being transported in a plane to Missouri by Illinois State Police, said Blagojevich spokeswoman Rebecca Rausch.

Jessica Robinson, a spokeswoman for Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt, said Blunt would "expeditiously" review the order once he received it.

At an afternoon news conference in Joliet, Ill., Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow said he hoped that Vaughn would be returned by plane or car as soon as possible, perhaps as early as Tuesday.

"We are hopeful in the very near future that he could be delivered here to the Will County Jail to start the prosecution," he said.

Vaughn's extradition attorney, David Waltrip, said his client intends to plead not guilty to the fugitive count. Waltrip also has said that Vaughn would challenge extradition.

Glasgow said he was confident any challenge would not significantly delay Vaughn's return to Illinois.

Once Vaughn is returned, Glasgow said his office would present evidence to a grand jury for an indictment. Meanwhile, he said his office is convening a committee to determine whether prosecutors will seek the death penalty in the case.

St. Charles County Prosecutor Jack Banas said outside court that the fugitive count would be dropped if and when Vaughn is returned to Illinois. Vaughn's next court date on the fugitive count is scheduled for July 25.

Illinois authorities have not divulged a possible motive for the slayings or publicly detailed the evidence, saying only that numerous interviews, forensic evidence, computer files and phone records led them to conclude that Christopher Vaughn killed his family.

Vaughn, a computer security consultant, had superficial gunshot wounds in the leg and arm, and his 9 mm handgun was found at the scene, authorities said. Kimberly Vaughn was shot once and the children each were shot twice, authorities said.

Prosecutors say Vaughn voluntarily met with investigators three times to answer questions before his arrest.

Originally from Missouri, the Vaughn family lived in Washington state before moving to the Chicago area about two years ago.

They first lived in Aurora before buying a spacious house in Oswego, last spring.