True-Crime Podcast Asks 'Who Killed Chris Vaughn's Family?'

CHANNAHON, IL — Representatives of iHeartMedia are launching a new true-crime podcast called "Murder in Illinois" on Thursday, and it's based on the 2007 murder of the Vaughn family near Channahon.

Promoters of the upcoming podcast say it will feature exclusive never heard before interviews with the family of convicted mass murderer Chris Vaughn including his parents, siblings, and extended family members.

"This is the first time the Vaughn family has spoken publicly about Chris, his wife, his children, the murders, or his arrest, trial and conviction," the Murder in Illinois podcast proclaims.

The Vaughn podcast is hosted by writer and producer Lauren Bright, best known for co-hosting, narrating, and producing true-crime podcast hits like "Happy Face," "Murder in Oregon," and "The Murders at White House Farm," according to iHeartMedia.

The Murder in Illinois podcast informs its listeners that Chris Vaughn was arrested during a funeral for his wife and three children. He would be tried and convicted of their murders. To this day, he maintains no memory of what occurred that tragic day 14 years ago.

According to promoters of the new podcast, Murder in Illinois follows the complicated circumstances that led to Vaughn’s conviction, as well as the forensic evidence his supporters believe proves his innocence-in attempt to answer one question: Who killed the Vaughn family?

Joliet Patch has previously reported that Vaughn has been incarcerated since June 2007 on charges he murdered his wife and children. He was convicted of the killings in 2012. Vaughn, his wife Kimberly, 34, and children Blake, 8, Cassandra, 11, and Abigayle, 12 were heading from their Oswego home to a Springfield waterpark when he pulled off Interstate 55 and stopped on the frontage road outside Channahon.

Vaughn then gunned down his wife and children as they sat in the family's minivan, according to police and prosecutors. But Vaughn told detectives it was actually his wife who shot their children, put a bullet in his leg as he fled for his life, then turned the pistol on herself and committed suicide.

For the trailers to the upcoming iHeartMedia podcast called "Murder in Illinois," you can listen here.