Murder at Starved Rock

On March 14th, 1960, three women from suburban Chicago traveled to Starved Rock State Park for a short getaway. Within hours of their arrival, they were attacked and killed; their bodies were discovered in a canyon two days later, shocking Illinois and drawing national attention. After months without an arrest, investigators focused on Chester Weger, a 21-year-old lodge employee. Following an intense overnight interrogation, Weger signed a confession that he soon recanted, maintaining it had been coerced. Despite inconsistencies and a lack of physical evidence tying him to the crime, he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison, remaining incarcerated for nearly six decades before being paroled in 2020.

The program revisits the case, examining questions surrounding the investigation, prosecution, and later developments. It explores new claims, including an alleged alternate confession, and highlights modern DNA testing conducted on hair recovered at the crime scene. The results of that testing, along with other emerging evidence, continue to fuel debate about the original conviction and the broader implications for justice in one of Illinois’ most discussed criminal cases. Author Jim Ridings will discuss his research and the findings during this program.