NO BOND IN MURDER FOR HIRE SCHEME

WHEATON – State’s Attorney Joe Birkett today announced that a Chicago man accused of trying to hire a hitman to murder his ex-wife was ordered held on no bond.  Forty one year-old John Johnson (dob/07/31/67) of the 5800 block of Adams, Chicago appeared in Bond Court this morning in front of Judge Peter Dockery who approved the State’s motion to deny Mr. Johnson bail.  At the time of these allegations, Johnson was in custody at the DuPage County jail for allegedly violating an Order of Protection that his ex-wife had against him.

            On July 13, Johnson (dob/07/31/67) was charged with one count of Solicitation of Murder, a Class X Felony punishable by up to six to thirty years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.  The charge against Johnson stems from allegations that Johnson informed an acquaintance of his that he wanted his ex-wife murdered and that he was willing to pay $3,000 to have her killed.  The individual, cooperating with the DuPage County Sheriff’s office, arranged for an undercover Sheriff’s deputy to pose as a hitman and meet with Johnson.  It is alleged that Johnson then solicited the undercover deputy to murder his ex-wife.  

  “I am extremely pleased that Judge Dockery granted our motion to deny bail to Mr. Johnson,” commented Birkett.  “If these allegations are proven true, Mr. Johnson attempted to reach through the bars at the County jail and take the life of his former wife.  Thanks to the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office however, Mr. Johnson never got the opportunity to carry out his alleged scheme.”

Johnson’s next court appearance is scheduled for August 13, 2009.

Members of the public are reminded that this complaint 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.