Episode Summary
In the summer of 1992, the brutal rape and murder of 11-year-old Holly Staker shakes the community of Waukegan, IL to its core. When Juan Rivera confesses to the crime, it seems like Holly’s family and members of the public might be able to breathe a sigh of relief. But that’s only the beginning of a case that would haunt the Illinois justice system for years.
Listen Now
For our friends in the Deaf and Signing community, you can view an ASL version of this episode HERE.
Episode Info
If you have any information in Holly Staker’s case, please contact Lake County Crime Stoppers at 847-662-2222.
Holly Staker
Juan Rivera
Juan Rivera after he was released from prison
Holly Staker
Episode Source Material
- Chicago Tribune: 11-year-old Waukegan girl murdered while baby-sitting, by Andrew Martin and Karen Brandon
- Chicago Tribune: Killer of sitter left many clues, by Andrew Martin and Karen Brandon
- Chicago Tribune: Cops turn to roadblock in hunt for sitter’s killer, by Andrew Martin
- Chicago Tribune: Jury rules sitter death was murder, by Andrew Martin
- Chicago Tribune: Suspect charged in baby-sitter killing, by Andrew Martin and John Gorman
- Chicago Tribune: Staker murder suspect was a baby-sitter, too, by Jerry Thomas and Karen Brandon
- Chicago Tribune: Monitoring device puts baby-sitter suspect at home, by Jerry Thomas and Andrew Martin
- Chicago Tribune: Monitor system’s fate mulled, by Andrew Martin
- Chicago Tribune: Staker suspect enters plea
- Chicago Tribune: Sitter suspect to face death if convicted, by Andrew Martin
- Chicago Tribune: DNA tests crucial to Staker trial, by Robert Enstad
- Chicago Tribune: Rivera defense calls confession forced. No author
- Chicago Tribune: Rivera murder confession detailed, by Andrew Martin
- Chicago Tribune: New man linked to Staker murder, by Andrew Martin and James Hill
- Chicago Tribune: Blood on Rivera’s shoe linked to girl
- Chicago Tribune: Smear alleged in Staker murder case, by Andrew Martin
- Chicago Tribune: Defense tries to unravel confession in Staker case, by Robert Enstad
- Chicago Tribune: Rivera testifies he can’t recall his confession, by Robert Enstad
- Chicago Tribune: Rivera’s confession ruled admissible in Staker murder trial, by Robert Enstad
- Chicago Tribune: Witness links Rivera to murder scene, by Robert Enstad
- Chicago Tribune: Judge won’t order inmate’s blood, by Robert Enstad
- Chicago Tribune: Trial delayed in rape, slaying of baby-sitter, by Andrew Martin
- Chicago Tribune: Doubts in Waukegan baby-sitter’s murder, by Andrew Martin
- Chicago Tribune: Staker jury hears about 2 sides of defendant in murder trial
- Chicago Tribune: Trial details discovery of dead baby-sitter, by Andrew Martin
- Chicago Tribune: Friend says Rivera asked him to lie to abet his alibi, by Andrew Martin
- Chicago Tribune: Defendant’s confession detailed in Waukegan baby-sitter’s death, by Andrew Martin
- Chicago Tribune: Jury in Staker case told defendant’s alibi, by Andrew Martin
- Chicago Tribune: Defense experts say evidence shows Rivera is the wrong man, by Karen Brandon and Andrew Martin
- Chicago Tribune: Guilty verdict in murder of 11-year-old baby-sitter, by Andrew Martin
- Chicago Tribune: Conviction reversed in Waukegan baby-sitter’s death, by Dennis O’Brien and Andrew Martin
- Chicago Tribune: Child testimony opposed in Rivera murder trial, by Tony Gordon
- Chicago Tribune: Man retried in Waukegan girl’s death, by Phuong Le
- Chicago Tribune: Testimony of girl IDs defendant in slaying, by Phuong Le
- The Daily Herald: Meticulous search fails to link suspect to baby sitter’s death, by Tony Gordon
- Chicago Tribune: Cop testimony hits defendant’s alibi, by Phuong Le
- Chicago Tribune: Alibi lies, jail boasts attributed to Rivera, by Phuong Le
- Chicago Tribune: Police stand by Rivera confessions, by Phuong Le
- Chicago Tribune: Graphic photos are shown at Rivera trial, by Phuong Le
- Chicago Tribune: Confession coerced, defense says, by Phuong Le
- Chicago Tribune: Rivera convicted again in sitter’s slaying, by Phuong Le
- Chicago Tribune: Slain girl’s family finds relief after long wait, by Phuong Le
- Chicago Tribune: DNA test OKd for convict in ’92 killing, by Douglas Holt
- Chicago Tribune: DNA tests give hope to convict in 1992 murder, by Maurice Possley
- Chicago Tribune: DNA in girl’s slaying disputed, by Gina Kim and Maurice Possley
- Chicago Tribune: 3rd trial set for man convicted in killing, by Barbara Bell
- Chicago Tribune: 3rd trial opens in baby-sitter killing, by Emily s. Achenbaum
- Chicago Tribune: Expert: Evidence, confession clash
- Chicago Tribune: Jury deliberates 3rd trial for ’92 death of girl, 11, by Jeff Long
- Chicago Tribune: Guilty despite DNA test, by Lisa Black, Jeff Long, and Ruth Fuller
- Chicago Tribune: 3rd life sentence for girl’s murder, by Lisa Black and Ruth Fuller
- Chicago Tribune: Appeal follows 3 guilty verdicts, by Lisa Black
- Chicago Tribune: Rivera conviction tossed; DNA cited, by Cynthia Dizikes
- Chicago Tribune: Ruling: ‘Nightmare of wrongful incarceration’, by Steve Mills and Cynthia Dizikes
- Chicago Tribune: Rivera free from prison, by Ruth Fuller, Andy Grimm, and Lisa Black
- Chicago Tribune: FBI won’t check DNA from ’92 Staker slaying, by Dan Hinkel
- Chicago Tribune: Police destroyed knife found near site of baby sitter slaying, by Dan Hinkel and Steve Mills
- Chicago Tribune: Same DNA detected at scenes of 2 killings, by Steve Mills and Dan Hinkel
- Chicago Tribune: Rivera lawsuit: Police planted blood on shoes, by Steve Mills and Dan Hinkel
- ABC 7 Eyewitness News: Juan Rivera wins largest wrongful conviction suit in U.S. history
- Brief of defendant-appellant Juan A. Rivera, Jr., by Thomas P. Sullivan, Lawrence Marshall, and Jane E. Raley
