Minnesota man awaiting trial in teen's 1972 slaying is found dead in Illinois cell.

A 79-year-old Minnesota man charged with the 1972 murder of a 15-year-old girl in suburban Chicago has died in his cell at the Will County Jail in Joliet, Illinois. Barry Lee Whelpley was arrested in 2021 and charged with first-degree murder and aggravated criminal sexual assault. DNA evidence linked him to the case of Julie Ann Hanson, whose murder remained unsolved for decades until advancements in DNA and genetic genealogy analysis led to Whelpley as the suspect. Authorities do not suspect foul play in Whelpley's death and an autopsy is scheduled.

February 09, 2024
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