Aurora Man Who Killed Girlfriend Gets 60 Year Sentence

AURORA, IL - A man who fatally shot his girlfriend was handed a 60 year sentence Thursday. 49-year-old Christopher M. Whetstone was convicted of first-degree murder in the January 2014 shooting of his Rachel Taylor, 22. Whetstone will be serving his sentence in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Circuit Judge John A. Barsanti sentenced 35 years for the murder plus 25 more because whetstone personally fired the gun that killed Taylor.

Taylor had driven to Whetstone’s home to let him see the two children they had together that night. They argued outside the residence in the 500 block of Charles Street, then Whetstone shot Taylor in the chest. Taylor exited the vehicle yelling, “He shot me, he shot me!” When she ran from him, he shot her twice more in the abdomen. Whetstone fled on foot but was quickly apprehended by police. Taylor was taken to Presence Mercy Medical Center where she was pronounced dead about an hour later.

Whetstone was convicted over an 11-day trial in March by a Kane County jury. According to Illinois law, he must serve the full sentence, but is credited for the 1,355 days he’s served in Kane County jail since his arrest.
Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon commented on the case, saying, “Not to be overlooked in this horrific tragedy is the fact that, because of his inability to control his anger, their two children will grow up without their parents. I hope Rachel’s family will feel that justice has been served in this case.”

Over the last two decades, Whetstone has been convicted half a dozen times for domestic violence and has nine felony convictions. McMahon added, "His lawless ways are over."

Image courtesy of Kane County State's Attorney's Office