Illinois Board Hears Pardon Request from Family of ‘Starved Rock Killer’

The family of Chester Weger, known as the "Starved Rock Killer," is pleading with an Illinois board to grant the convicted murderer a posthumous pardon.

Before moving to Dubuque, IA, I lived in LaSalle-Peru, IL, a quiet community in north central Illinois, part of the larger "Illinois Valley." The name "Chester Weger," when uttered, evokes every emotion from anger to sympathy, exhaustion, and anxiety amongst residents. I think I lived in LaSalle for two weeks before I first heard his name. For the three-and-a-half-years I lived there, Weger was sporadically brought up as a topic of conversation.

READ MORE: Illinois' Infamous "Starved Rock Killer" Dead at 86

Background on the Starved Rock Murders in 1961:

Weger was convicted of the murder of one of three women found dead at Starved Rock State Park in LaSalle County back in March 1960. At one time, he was the longest serving inmate incarcerated by the state of Illinois, and to date is the third longest in the entire state prior to his release in February 21st, 2020.

In totality, Weger spent nearly 60 years behind bars before being granted parole when he was 80-years-old. During the time of the murders, he worked as a dishwasher at Starved Rock. The bodies of three suburban women from Riverside, IL — Frances Murphy (47), Mildred Lindquist (50), and Lillian Oetting (50) — were found in a canyon in the park. The women were found bound with twine and died from severe head trauma.

Weger's Family Continues to Advocate for a Pardon:

Weger died in June 2025. This week, the Illinois Prisoner Review Board heard from Weger's sister, son, and attorney, who are seeking a posthumous pardon. While he initially confessed in the case, he withdrew it after getting an attorney, and his family argues that new DNA evidence and other claims made render Weger's need for a pardon. Weger's attorney claimed that the confession "made no sense" and didn't match physical evidence, per Fox 32 Chicago.

In the past, Weger's family asked a LaSalle County judge to consider the new DNA evidence. He died several days after the judge rejected the petition.

READ MORE: Starved Rock State Park is Home to the Largest Canyons in Illinois (PHOTOS)

The Illinois board's recommendation is not known yet, and could take up to two months to reach Governor JB Pritzker's office, per Fox 32 Chicago. Pritzker would ultimately make the final decision.

In 2021, Weger was the subject of an HBO docuseries produced by Mark Wahlberg. Called The Murders at Starved Rock, the three-episode series examines Weger's life before and after his conviction, with the final episode revolving around valiant efforts from his defense team to clear his name due to an alleged mishandling of evidence. Read more about the family of Chester Weger requesting a posthumous pardon for the convicted murderer on Fox 32 Chicago's website.