TWO MEN FACE FIRST DEGREE MURDER CHARGES IN KILLING OF BARTLETT MAN
WHEATON - DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett announced today that First Degree Murder charges have been filed against 43 year-old Terry Bratcher (d.o.b. 5/28/1966) of West Chicago and 21 year-old Keith Allen (d.o.b. 6/4/1988) of Chicago, in connection with the death of 82 year-old Carl Kuhn of unincorporated Bartlett. Kuhn was found deceased last Friday evening in his home, the victim of an apparent suffocation. In addition, both men were also charged with one count of Home Invasion with a Firearm.
On August 21, DuPage County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to Kuhn’s residence in response to a call regarding an unresponsive male located on the second floor of the residence. It is alleged that on Friday, August 21, Bratcher and Allen devised a plan to burglarize Mr. Kuhn’s residence. It is further alleged that Bratcher went into the residence first and then called Allen to join him. It is further alleged that the men forced Mr. Kuhn to an upstairs bedroom and smothered him to death. The men then allegedly burglarized the home. An investigation led by the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office led officers to Bratcher and Allen who were subsequently taken into custody without incident.
“I would like to thank the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office, particularly Investigator Bob Harris, for their quick apprehension of these two men,” commented Birkett. “On August 21, Carl Kuhn’s life ended violently. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his surviving family. This is a senseless crime that will be met with the full extent of the law.”
Because the murder was carried out during the commission of another felony, the defendants may be subject to the death penalty. First Degree Murder carries a minimum sentence of 20-60 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC).
Allen appeared in Bond Court this morning where Judge Peter Ostling ordered he be held on $3 million full cash bond. At Bratcher’s Bond Court hearing Judge George Bakalis ordered that Bratcher be held without bond. The men are both scheduled for arraignment on September 21 in front of Judge Bakalis.
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.
