Thomas Spear, 43, faces first-degree murder in connection to the killing of Illa Venard, who was found dead in her apartment in her Lisle apartment, 30 miles west of Chicago, in 1994.
An Illinois pizza chef disguised himself as an elderly woman to cash checks from a victim he is accused of murdering more than 20 years ago, police say.
Thomas Spear, 43, faces first-degree murder in connection to the killing of Illa Venard, who was found dead in her apartment in her Lisle apartment, 30 miles west of Chicago, in 1994.
The case went cold for 23 years, but was reopened this year when Spear admitted to a burglary that led to Venard’s death.
Investigators believe that Spear broke into Venard’s apartment through a sliding door, and when she confronted him, he grabbed the elderly woman by the neck and pushed her to the ground.
Spear then stole her checkbook, ID and other items, prosecutors say.
The now-43-year-old then disguised himself as an elderly woman, forged Venard’s signature and cashed out four checks worth $300 each from her bank account, the DuPage County State Attorney said.
Venard’s body was found on August 4, 1994, by the woman’s son, Keith, and his then wife, the Peoria Journal Star reported. She had rings missing from her fingers and the apartment was ransacked.
Investigators did not have a suspect until 1997, when a former neighbor claimed that Spear visited her and her boyfriend on the day of Venard’s death.
A short time later, Spear showed the couple four checks taken from Venard’s purse, saying he was going to cash them.
Assistant State’s Attorney Kristin Johnston said that Spear donned a red and black scarf and sunglasses and cashed the checks, worth $300 a piece.
He reportedly shared the money with the woman and her boyfriend that he had previously visited and shown the checks to.
Spear was convicted of multiple burglaries and trespass to vehicle charges between 1997 and 2017
Prosecutors tracked Spear down in Peoria, Illinois, where he confessed to the Venard burglary on September 28.
He was initially charged with four counts of forgery and four counts of issuing or delivering a forged document in connection with the stolen checks.
Spear has since been charged with first-degree murder. He is being held on a $3million bail in DuPage County jail.
His next court appearance is on November 6. If convicted of murder, Spear faces a possible sentence of life without parole.