Riley Fox 3yo Raped/Bound/Murdered 6/6/2004 Illionis
Will County grand jury investigates Riley Fox murder By John Garcia July 13, 2005 — A grand jury in Will County is now working on the Riley Fox murder case. The girl's family met with prosecutors this week to discuss the killing. Murder charges against Riley's father, Kevin Fox, were dropped last month. Now, Will County prosecutors are starting over in hopes of tracking down Riley Fox's killer. Sources say the grand jury was convened as a way of gathering all the evidence from various sources in the case. They are not likely to be ready to indict a new suspect any time soon. Riley Fox's family meantime is satisfied investigators are making progress. Private investigator Ernie Rizzo arrived at the Will County courthouse for grand jury testimony Wednesday morning. He worked briefly on the Riley Fox murder case, long enough to do a reenactment last summer that showed how the killer may have dumped her body into the river, contradicting a statement her father had given to police. "The test on the river showed the confession couldn't have been accurate because if you redid the confession, it couldn't possibly have happened the way the confession says it did," said Ernie Rizzo, private investigator. Since DNA test results led a judge to dismiss murder charges against Kevin Fox last month, investigators are once again at square one. Fox, several of his family members and attorney Kathleen Zellner met with the state's attorney James Glasgow for the first time Tuesday. They have turned over all of the information they have in the case and are not being required to testify before the grand jury. "It went well. The family is being reassured about the efforts being made on the investigation. I think they've got piece of mind about it now," said Kathleen Zellner, Fox attorney. After spending eight months in jail accused of his daughter's murder, Kevin Fox has said his top priority is to help find the real killer. His family plans to reinstate a $100,000 reward for information. Fox's attorney has filed a civil rights lawsuit against sheriff's investigators who they claim tortured him into making a confession under previous state's attorney Jeff Tomczak. During their meeting with the new state's attorney Glasgow, they say he told them he has an independent investigator now heading up the case. "He just outlined the basic plan, the strategy, told us about the people working on it, reassured the family they were going to do everything they could to catch the real killer," said Zellner. The state's attorney has sent in the DNA samples for further testing. He is hoping to come up with a better profile of the killer. Kathleen Zellner plans to file an amended civil rights suit next week, adding the names of several more officials involved in the investigation. http://crimeshots.com/RileyFox2.html

Riley Fox case could spur change to DNA testing laws John Garcia June 27, 2005 - The Riley Fox murder case may bring changes to DNA testing laws in Illinois. Kevin Fox was arrested for the murder of his 3-year-old daughter, Riley. His family paid for DNA tests that led to his release two weeks ago. ing laws in Illinois. Kevin Fox was arrested for the murder of his 3-year-old daughter, Riley. His family paid for DNA tests that led to his release two weeks ago. Riley Fox's father Kevin was in jail facing murder charges and a possible death penalty. His family maintained all along that he was innocent, but it took nearly a year before they could get DNA tests that backed up their claim. Now, they are hoping this proposed new law will help keep that from happening to another family. DNA evidence was available in the murder of Riley Fox last June, but it required sophisticated testing, and the Fox family ultimately had to pay for the testing. That's why the results that freed Kevin Fox from jail after eight months were not immediately available. That's also why the Fox family is firmly behind a proposed law that would provide money for immediate DNA testing in child murder cases. "We wouldn't be where we're at today. Kevin wouldn't have been wrongfully accused, and we'd have a better chance, likely, to have the killer in custody," said Chad Fox, Kevin's brother. State lawmakers and some state's attorneys are proposing the law. They say the backlog of cases in the state crime lab prevents results from being returned quickly, and the state lab is also unable to find results in some cases where private labs have more advanced technology available. Lawmakers say child homicide cases should be a top priority. "Child murders do affect us in a very special way, so we concluded we should ask for this. It is not a huge amount of money," said Dick Devine, Cook County state's attorney. The bill provides a $100,000 state fund to pay for testing. A single DNA sample costs an average of $1,500 to test. The Fox family and their attorney, Kathleen Zellner, have filed suit against the Will County investigators who falsely accused Kevin Fox of his daughter's murder. According to Zellner, the investigators had no physical evidence implicating Fox, and they failed to push for the DNA testing that ultimately produced a profile of the killer. Zellner proposed calling the bill Riley's law. "To save someone's life and to catch the killer, and to prevent civil litigation, and to prevent hundreds of hours of wasted man-hours that could be spent on other crimes, it's just a drop in the bucket. Who would not do that?" said Kathleen Zellner, Fox attorney. The proposed law would make private DNA testing available in all child murder cases, but officials say it would not help in every case. In 2003, there were 39 murders of children under the age of 16 in the state. http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=News&id=3198956

Officials: Father raped, killed girl Thursday, October 28, 2004 By Dan Rozek and Lisa Donovan Special to the Daily Southtown Her mouth and arms bound with duct tape, 3-year-old Riley Fox was sexually assaulted, then dumped alive into a secluded creek and left to drown, Will County authorities said Wednesday. Her attacker was her 27-year-old father, Kevin Fox, who was arrested earlier in the day after allegedly giving a videotaped statement implicating himself, officials said during a news conference. He is expected to be formally charged today with assaulting and murdering his youngest child. Fox initially told police he awoke June 6 to find the girl missing from the family's Wilmington home. She was found 71/2 hours later in Forked Creek, a small stream that runs through the Forsythe Woods Forest Preserve about four miles from the home. The girl's disappearance galvanized the community as hundreds of volunteers turned out to search for her. But the slaying also polarized the quiet Kankakee River town, as rumors swirled that Fox was responsible for her death, splitting residents into those who supported Fox and those who believed he was guilty. "We know how difficult it's been for the people in this quiet community who knew Riley Fox,'' Will County Sheriff Paul Kaupas said. "My hope is with the arrest of Kevin Fox, the town of Wilmington will be able to have closure.'' The abrupt announcement of Fox's arrest was as much a surprise to the community even to those who have long suspected him as the news she had been sexually assaulted, a detail that drew gasps from members of the public who attended the news conference at Wilmington City Hall. An autopsy showed the girl had been sexually assaulted and also suffered "nonlethal head injuries," said Will County Coroner Patrick O'Neil. Duct tape was found over her mouth, O'Neil said, and residue on her arms indicated they had been bound by tape, he said. She was dumped into the creek and drowned, O'Neil said. Police would say little about their evidence against Fox, even stopping short of calling his statement a confession. Though officials had said earlier that items had been sent to an FBI lab for analysis, Kaupas and Will County State's Attorney Jeff Tomczak wouldn't comment on whether DNA or other forensic evidence links Fox to his daughter's death. Authorities did say they are sticking to the suspect's timeline for the night: Kevin Fox told investigators he left Riley and her 7-year-old brother, Tyler, with their grandparents on June 5 while he attended a concert with a brother-in-law. Fox told police he picked the kids up about 12:30 a.m., took them home and left them asleep on a living room couch. He said he awoke about 8 a.m., he found the living room door ajar and Riley missing. After searching briefly for the girl, Fox called police. The girl's mother, Melissa, was out of town that night, authorities said. Melissa Fox spent much of Tuesday night at the Will County sheriff's office where her husband was questioned. She couldn't be reached for comment Wednesday, but authorities said no one else is expected to be charged. Kevin Fox was being held Wednesday night in the Will County Jail. His attorney, Kathleen Zellner, declined to comment. His family also refused to comment on his arrest. "We're not talking to the media. We'd appreciate it if you'd respect our privacy,'' a family member said outside the home of Fox's parents, where Kevin and Melissa Fox had been living after moving out of the rented house where Riley vanished. But a neighbor who has known Kevin all his life can't believe the young father killed his daughter. "I can't believe it's Kevin, not with the love he had for that little girl,'' said Ron May, who has lived next door to Fox's parents for more than 30 years. "He was a loving father, totally. I'd see him playing more in the yard than I ever played with my kids.'' Authorities would say little about why Fox was brought in for questioning Tuesday evening. "There was no major break in the case,'' Kaupas said. But during a 12-hour interrogation, Fox made statements that led to the arrest, Kaupas said. "We really tried to stay the course; we didn't want it to turn into another JonBenet Ramsey case,'' Kaupas said, referring to the still-unsolved murder of a Colorado girl. Both Kaupas and Tomczak brushed aside suggestions that the timing of the arrest was tied to next week's elections. Tomczak is in a tough re-election battle, but Kaupas said the decision to question Fox and seek charges wasn't motivated by politics. "I have no dog in this race you're speaking of,'' Kaupas said. "To wait would not do justice to this case or Riley Fox.'' http://www.dailysouthtown.com/southtown/dsindex/28-ds3.htm

DNA test on Southwood draws Fox family's interest • Separate cases: Sex offender not a suspect in murder of Wilmington girl By Kim Smith and Joe Hosey staff writers WILMINGTON — The family of Kevin Fox hopes a DNA test on a recently arrested sex offender might completely clear Fox in the public's eye after the rape and murder of his daughter Riley. Kevin Fox once was charged in the sexual assault and murder of his daughter, but the charges were dropped this year. Now a DNA test has been conducted on another Wilmington man in a separate case. "We are waiting to see if the DNA matches," said Fox's brother Chad Fox. "While we would like nothing more than to have her killer arrested, we must make sure we punish the right guy." Sheriff's police are comparing the DNA of 68-year-old sex offender Lawrence Southwood to a sample found on the body of slain 3-year-old Riley Fox, Kevin Fox's daughter. Southwood, of 30507 S. Readman Lane, is a convicted sex offender who is now charged with a new crime in a case separate from the Fox case. Earlier this week, Southwood was charged with repeatedly raping a quadriplegic teenager. But detectives have no suspicions that Southwood killed Riley Fox, said Pat Barry, spokesman for the sheriff's department. "This guy is not a suspect in the Riley Fox case," Barry said. "All sex offenders' DNA is checked against open sex cases," Barry said. "To call him a suspect, he is not." Kevin Fox was charged with sexually assaulting and killing his daughter in October 2004 and was held in the Will County Jail for eight months. The charges were dropped June 17 after DNA test results were examined. Fox has since filed a civil rights lawsuit against Jeff Tomczak, the former Will County state's attorney; six Will County sheriff's detectives; other law enforcement personnel; and Will County, among other defendants. Kevin Fox's attorney, Kathleen Zellner, said she only wants police to find the real killer. "The family is depending upon the Will County investigative team to solve the case," Zellner said. "We are hopeful that they follow up every lead they've got." Chad Fox said this year's holidays went a bit better than last year's, with Kevin out of jail. He said the family will never get over the loss of the toddler. "A lot of people are still living with the fear of a possible child killer on the loose," Fox said. Southwood reportedly stayed at the home of the quadriplegic teen the night before Riley Fox was killed. The teen lives near the grandmother who was babysitting Riley and her brother, Tyler, the evening before the young girl's murder. The day Riley was discovered missing, a neighbor told police she saw the little girl sitting outside her grandmother's home. Not everyone living along South Readman Lane was aware of Southwood's past. Don Sefcik, who lives along South Readman Lane, said he has sat outside with Southwood on several occasions. "He never mentioned his criminal history," Sefcik said. Others were concerned about the fact that Southwood's home caught fire several years ago and was never rebuilt. He was living in a one-car garage since the fire. His lot was littered with debris. "This sickens me to death," said another neighbor. "He should never have been released from jail." 12/30/05 http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/heraldnews/top/4_1_JO30_FOX_S1.htm

Rape Suspect's DNA Tested Against Riley Fox Evidence Source: Man Questioned In 3-Year-Old's Death POSTED: 8:26 am CST December 29, 2005 UPDATED: 2:34 pm CST December 29, 2005 This report aired at 10 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 28. It is presented here verbatim. NBC5's Amy Jacobson: Don, we have learned tonight that two ... from two different sources that late this afternoon, a DNA swab was taken from Lawrence Southwood, who was here at the Will County Jail. Investigators want to know if he had anything to do with the Riley Fox case. Teen's Mother: "I didn't know that he was a sexual criminal offender. I did not know that he murdered somebody." We have concealed her identity, and we are not releasing her name, but tonight, this mother is coming forward, upset that this man, 68-year-old Lawrence Southwood, allegedly assaulted her daughter, who was handicapped. Southwood allegedly watched the teenager while her mother was at work. Teen's Mother: "This man pretended to me that he was my friend. He tried to help me by driving me to Villa Park every day and taking me to my classes that I needed to attend. And he just ... I welcomed him into my home and introduced him to my family, and I treated him like family, and then he did this to my daughter." Southwood was arrested Christmas Day at his home in Wilmington. He has a lengthy prison record. In the 1960s, he was convicted of murder near Peoria. Court records also show in 1961 he pled guilty to the kidnapping and rape of a young woman. And in 1992, convicted of two counts of criminal sexual assault to a minor. That is why investigators tell me they have taken a DNA swab to see if he had anything to do with the Riley Fox case. Southwood spent many days and nights at the victim's home, which is just four doors down from the Rassis. It is Riley Fox's grandmother's house -- the place she was before she disappeared. Now, according to our sources, Southwood was questioned today about the Riley Fox case and denied any involvement. Still, the DNA swab on its way to the Illinois State Crime Lab. They hope to have results within the next few weeks. Tonight, Southwood is being held on a $2 million bond. Reporting from Joliet, Amy Jacobson, NBC5 News. Copyright 2005 by NBC5.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. http://www.nbc5.com/news/5708052/detail.html

Judge rules Fox's lawsuit can continue • Riley Fox murder case: Father charges he was falsely imprisoned By Joe Hosey staff writer A federal judge denied every count but one of a motion to dismiss the lawsuit alleging a conspiracy to falsely imprison — and possibly condemn — Kevin Fox for the rape and murder of his 3-year-old daughter. The 11-count motion filed by former State's Attorney Jeff Tomczak was rejected in near totality by Judge John Darrah. The one count Darrah did allow was dropping Sheriff Paul Kaupas from the lawsuit. "We are pleased that the court dismissed the claim against Sheriff Kaupas alleging liability based solely upon his position as sheriff," said current State's Attorney James Glasgow. Kathleen Zellner, the Naperville attorney who won Fox's freedom after he spent eight months in jail on a capital murder charge and is representing him and his wife, Melissa Fox, in the civil suit, was satisfied with Darrah's decision. "We're extremely pleased," Zellner said. "It's a stunning victory for the plaintiffs but one we think is well deserved. " The lawsuit was initially filed in November 2004. It lists Tomczak, a jailer, a county social worker, six detectives and a polygraph examiner, charging they conspired to coerce Kevin Fox into adopting a fabricated tale of how he killed his daughter, Riley. Fox was freed from jail when it was determined that DNA recovered from Riley's body was not his. The DNA samples were from saliva acquired from vaginal swabs, according to a police source. The swabs languished at an FBI lab in Quantico, Va., from June 2004 until February 2005, when Glasgow and Zellner brokered a deal to have the evidence tested by a private company. The arrest of Kevin Fox came six months after his daughter was molested and dumped in a creek near her Wilmington home and followed a 14-hour interrogation. The questioning culminated with a videotaped statement in which Kevin Fox reportedly told detectives he accidentally hit his daughter in the head with a bathroom door. Fearing he had killed his daughter, he attempted to make her appear the victim of an abduction and rape by taping her hands and mouth, using his finger to leave indications she was sexually assaulted, and then dumping her body in a creek, Fox reportedly told police. The story was concocted by Tomczak, and detectives then frightened Kevin Fox into making this statement on videotape, according to the lawsuit. The detectives allegedly accomplished this by scaring Fox into thinking he could slip by on a manslaughter charge if the death was accidental and he faced six to 30 years of repeated prison rapings if he did not go along with the plan. Glasgow downplayed the significance of the judge's ruling on the motion. "The court was required on this preliminary motion to view the allegations in the light most favorable to the plaintiffs," he said. "This ruling clearly does not mean that they will prevail on the merits. We will continue to vigorously defend this matter." - Contact Joe Hosey at (815) 729-6054 or e-mail him at jhosey@scn1.com. 05/02/06 http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/heraldnews/city/4_1_JO02_FOX_S1.htm

No suspects, leads in murder of Riley Fox By Ben Bradley June 2, 2006 (Last Updated: 6:12:07 PM) - An extensive investigation into the murder of Riley Fox has not turned up any new suspects or leads. Fox was abducted from her home, sexually assaulted and killed two years ago. It has taken months for local, state and federal investigators to comb massive data bases looking for someone who could be connected to Riley Fox's disappearance or murder. There was a lot of DNA to test. Unfortunately, none of it led to a suspect. When Kevin Fox walked out of the Will County Jail after being cleared of charges he killed his 3-year-old daughter Riley, the investigation went back to square one. In recent months, there has been renewed hope that crime lab testing might turn up a new suspect in an investigation that appears otherwise stalled. The Will County Sheriff confirms the results are in on the testing of between 50 to 60 DNA samples collected at several crime scenes. Those samples do not match any known suspects or anyone else whose DNA is on file with law enforcement. It was DNA that cleared Riley's father one year ago. Since then, convicted sex offender and fellow Will County resident Lawrence Southwood emerged as a possible suspect. But sources say crime lab testing concludes Southwood's DNA was not found anywhere near the Wilmington home where Riley was last seen or the river bed where searchers found her body two years ago this week. Investigators have entered the DNA they have into law enforcement computers. Whenever a suspected sex offender is charged with any crime -- anywhere in the nation -- their DNA becomes part of a national database so it's possible a new suspect could emerge. http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=local&id=4231802

Daughter's Murder 'Still So Unbelievable' Riley Fox's Parent Plead For Information POSTED: 5:44 pm CDT June 5, 2006 UPDATED: 11:29 pm CDT June 5, 2006 CHICAGO -- The parents of a Wilmington girl who was found murdered in a river where she used to go fishing spoke out on the second anniversary of their daughter's disappearance. Riley Fox was allegedly abducted from her Wilmington home, sexually abused, and then dumped into the river. Kevin Fox, Riley's father, was arrested and put in Will County jail for eight months, but was released last June when DNA evidence cleared him. "I have to remind myself that she's gone," Melissa Fox, Riley's mother, said. "I don't think I've ever really had the time to grieve." The search for the culprit continues, NBC5's Amy Jacobson reported on Monday. Of 59 people who have been tested, 57 results are in, and no one has matched the DNA swab, which was taken from Riley's body. That includes Lawrence Southwood, who was recently convicted of a sex crime. Two swabs remain to be tested. One from a man who was convicted of a sex crime in Shorewood, and a male neighbor who still lives in Wilmington. Sources said it would take about one month to test the remaining two samples, but there is not enough DNA to match the sample to a national database for sex offenders. "That's disappointing, but beyond that, swabbing is one thing, investigating is another," Melissa Fox said. "As far as I know, I don't feel like we're any farther than we were two years ago." The Fox's said they hoped for a mass swabbing, where everyone in the town comes forward. "I guess in (England), if a crime happens in their town, they do DNA tests throughout the whole town," Kevin Fox said. Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow seemed to dismiss that idea. "That's why we had the Revolutionary War, to get rid of the British," said Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow. "We have rights in this country which we have to respect. Most of the swabs that we have obtained have been with the consent of the individuals." Kevin and Melissa Fox now have a newborn daughter they want to protect from the public because the killer is still out there, they said. "I don't necessarily want people to know where I live," Melissa Fox said. "I don't like giving that information out anymore. I don't like giving my phone number anymore, which normally (would not be) even something you would even think twice about." Melissa Fox said she is looking forward to seeing her daughter grow up. "God blessed us with a daughter again for a reason," Melissa Fox said. "I can't wait for her to grow up and see what her personality is like, because Riley just had an amazing personality, and Tyler (the Fox's other child) does too." On Tuesday, the Foxes said they would spend time with family members, but it's not a day the necessarily want to remember. Instead, they observe Riley's birthday on March 31, Jacobson reported. The Foxes said there was enough time for the real killer to get away, and said they believe someone has a piece of information, Jacobson reported. Melissa Fox encouraged whoever had information to "be strong enough to let us know." "I know it's probably scary," Melissa Fox said. "But all it takes is that one person," Kevin Fox said. The Foxes said they believe someone entered their unlocked door on June 6, 2004, unlocked the back door and abducted their daughter. "When I grew up, my mom and dad never locked their doors," Kevin Fox said. The Foxes said they believe it could be someone who may still live in the neighborhood. "I feel it's someone who has to be close," Fox said. "I don't think it's going to be nationally." "We found even in the DNA swabbing that they had done, that there were very obvious people that they had missed," said Kathleen Zellner, the family's attorney. "There were people that had access to the house, knew their schedule, knew the house, the layout, everything, that they hadn't swabbed." http://www.nbc5.com/news/9324645/detail.html?rss=chi&psp=news

More questions than answers in Fox case two years later By Kim Smith staff writer WILMINGTON — Two years ago today, Riley Fox, 3, was reported missing by her father. Later that afternoon, a couple of hikers found her little body about four miles away in the waters of Forked Creek in the Forsythe Woods Preserve. Since then, Will County police have tested 50 to 60 DNA samples against evidence found on the toddler's body. It was the same sample that cleared her father, Kevin Fox, of the crime. "We continue to check DNA samples of known sex offenders," said Pat Barry, spokesman for the county police. "We also check them with a national registry of sex offenders." Barry said no one has been officially cleared of the crime. There was a glimmer of hope when Lawrence Southwood emerged as a possible suspect. Southwood, 68, of 30507 Readman Lane in Wilmington Township, was charged in December with repeatedly raping a teenage quadriplegic. Previously, he fathered two children with his own daughter. The victim lived about four houses away from Riley's grandmother's home in Wilmington. Barry said Southwood's DNA was not a match, eliminating him as a suspect in the Fox case. Kevin Fox was arrested and charged with the sexual assault and murder of his daughter six months after her death. He spent more than 200 days in jail while the evidence was being processed; the charges were later dropped. His family, including his wife, Melissa, and his brother Chad, stood by Kevin through his ordeal. His Naperville-based attorney, Kathleen Zellner, said the Fox family has moved on in the sense that they have relocated to another town. "They will always carry this heartbreak with them," Zellner said. "They will always wonder what kind of monster could do such a thing." Civil lawsuit Recently, a federal judge ruled that a civil lawsuit filed on behalf of Kevin Fox can continue. The lawsuit alleges he was falsely imprisoned and coerced into confessing to the crime. Fox said in a videotaped statement that he accidentally hit his daughter in the head with a bathroom door. Instead of calling an ambulance, he attempted to make her appear the victim of an abduction and rape by duct-taping her hands and mouth. He reportedly used his finger to make it look like a sexual assault and placed her unconscious body in the back of his car before dumping her in the creek. Zellner said the trial date for the civil lawsuit will more than likely not be set until fall 2007. Riley's Law looms However, proposed legislation known as Riley's Law could be signed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich any day. The measure would expedite the DNA evidence in child murder cases, sending the evidence to a private crime laboratory if necessary to avoid long waits. The measure is expected to help catch criminals and avoid holding people falsely accused of murdering children. Charles B. Pelkie, spokesman for the Will County state's attorney's office, said the Riley Fox case is still a top priority. "Our investigators have visited Zellner's office on numerous occasions," he said. "We have followed all leads." There is still a $100,000 reward listed on www.justiceforriley.com for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Riley's killer. "This crime cannot be solved without your help. Any information, no matter how small, may help law enforcement. Please help us stop this killer from destroying another family's life," reads a statement signed by Kevin and Melissa Fox. "We do not want the real murderer to get away with this." Anyone with information can fill out an e-mail on the Web site or call 800-344-6340. - Sun-Times News Group 06/06/06 http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/sunpub/naper/news/6_1_NA06_RILEY_S1.htm

Still no answers four years after Riley Fox's slaying WILMINGTON MYSTERY June 6, 2008 By KIM SMITH KSMITH@SCN1.COM WILMINGTON -- Pink geraniums, a small butterfly sculpture and a hand-painted wooden ornament with the face of a sun wearing sunglasses surround the tombstone of Riley Ann Fox in the Oakwood Cemetery. A picture of the little girl whose life was abruptly cut short is painted on the tombstone. Today marks the fourth anniversary of the tragedy that began the morning of June 6, 2004, at 407 N. Outer Drive. Kevin Fox awoke to find his 3-year-old daughter missing. Her mother, Melissa Fox, was in Chicago participating in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer and had to be tracked down by family members. Police were called in around 8 a.m., and word on the missing child spread quickly through the community. Hundreds came out to search for her. Sometime after 3 p.m., two women hiking in the Forsythe Woods Forest Preserve found her bound and gagged body in Forked Creek. She had been sexually assaulted. Later it was learned that she more than likely was still alive when someone tossed her from the bridge on Kahler Road. Charges and a lawsuit On Oct. 27, 2004, Will County Sheriff Paul Kaupas said he and his investigators were working off instinct and gambled when they called in Kevin Fox for an interview. While Kaupas called it an interview, others referred to the questioning of Kevin Fox as an interrogation. After about seven hours of questioning, Kevin Fox was charged with the murder and sexual assault of his daughter. He spent 200 days locked up in Will County Jail before charges were dropped because DNA evidence failed to link him to the crime. Kevin and Melissa Fox filed a civil suit against Will County deputies involved in the case. In March, Kevin Fox was awarded $9.3 million and Melissa Fox was awarded $6.2 million when the jury agreed Kevin Fox was falsely arrested, maliciously prosecuted and that the defendants intentionally inflicted emotional distress upon the couple. Later, a deal was made to allow Kevin and Melissa Fox the right to claim the money from the deputies' insurance, not from the detectives themselves. There are still appeals pending on the federal case. Reward remains "Not a day goes by that the Fox family does not think of Riley," said Kathleen Zellner, the attorney representing Kevin and Melissa Fox. There is still an offer of a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the killer. "They have been thinking of upping the amount of the award," Zellner said. "The tips coming in seem to have dried up." Zellner said Kevin's brother, Chad Fox, still monitors the Web site at www.justiceforriley.com. There is also still a tip line, (800) 344-6340. All information is given to Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow's office for investigation. Zellner is optimistic that new nuclear DNA profiling technology that should be available in about a year may shed some new light on the case. The new technology uses smaller samples and can put profiles into a national data bank to possibly find a match. Zellner also helped create Riley's Law, legislation that gives priority for DNA testing in cases involving children. The law also provides funding for the tests. 'A priority' Pat Barry, spokesman for the Will County Sheriff's Department, said the department still stands by its deputies and is waiting for the appellate court decision. "This is also still an open investigation on the case until someone is brought forward," Barry said. The case also remains a priority with the state's attorney's office. "We are still following leads and recently had a meeting discussing ways to proceed with this case," said Charles B. Pelkie, spokesman for the state's attorneys office. "Our investigation remains a priority." A garden, created in the wake of the tragedy, grows in the Northcrest subdivision. It is called the Children's Memorial Garden. Riley Fox shares a space of honor in the garden with Jacob Lamb, a 5-year-old who drowned in his family's pool during a Fourth of July cookout a few weeks after Riley's death. . http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/heraldnews/news/991119,4_1_JO06_RILEYFOX_S1.article