21 Year Old Pleads Guilty in 2000 Murder in Forest Preserve

DuPage County State’s Attorney Joseph E. Birkett announced today that Jason S. Reardon, 21 (d.o.b. 5/03/83) of 1160 Squire Drive in Aurora pleaded guilty today to Armed Robbery in connection with the killing of 31 year old John E. Conrad of Schaumburg. After finding him guilty of Armed Robbery, Judge George Bakalis also ruled that the crime resulted in great bodily harm, which thereby enhanced the penalty by requiring that 85% of the sentence be served. Judge Bakalis then sentenced Reardon to 19 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. As part of today’s plea agreement, Reardon agreed to testify truthfully as to his knowledge and involvement of the events that led to the death of Conrad.

The factual basis provided to the court this morning by prosecutors revealed that in late October of 2000, Jason Reardon and two additional adult males were approached by John Conrad at a Denny’s Restaurant in Carol Stream and asked if they could give him a ride. They agreed to do so and dropped Conrad off at an apartment building in Addison. It is alleged that the defendants returned and picked Mr. Conrad up, taking him to the Pratt Wayne Forest Preserve near Munger and Stearns Roads in unincorporated DuPage County, near Wayne. It is there that the victim was beaten to death with a tire iron. Reardon pleaded guilty today to robbing the victim following the fatal beating.

Following the presentation of this factual basis, Judge Bakalis found Reardon guilty and sentenced him to nineteen (19) years in prison. At the conclusion of today’s court appearance, Reardon, who had been out on bail, was taken into custody by Sheriff’s deputies. He is expected to be transferred shortly to the Illinois Department of Corrections to begin serving his sentence.

"Reardon committed a despicable act in participating in this heinous crime," commented State’s Attorney Birkett. "However, he has provided crucial information that helped lead to co-defendant Luigi Adamo’s arrest. The plea agreement today ensures that Reardon will suffer a harsh punishment as well as provide truthful testimony in the upcoming Adamo trial."

Members of the public are reminded that the complaint pending against Luigi contains only charges and is not proof of the defendant’s guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.