Convicted Starved Rock killer asks judge to boot Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow as special prosecutor

Lawyers for Chester Weger, the convicted Starved Rock killer who’s trying to prove his innocence, asked a judge Tuesday to remove Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow as the special prosecutor in the case.

Glasgow’s office tried to thwart new testing of evidence from the scene of the 1960 killings of three women in Starved Rock State Park in La Salle County and ignored the results of those tests, said Andy Hale, one of Weger’s attorneys, in a court filing.

Hale asked Judge Michael Jansz to replace Glasgow with a new special prosecutor.

Glasgow was appointed special prosecutor in the case in 2021. He couldn’t be reached for comment.

Weger is now 84.

“Nearly two years have now passed since the [Will County State’s Attorney’s Office] was appointed as special prosecutor here. The grace of God has kept [Weger] alive under the worst of circumstances to continue his fight for justice,” Hale wrote.

In 2020, Weger was paroled for good behavior after serving nearly six decades behind bars. He was convicted of killing Lillian Oetting, who was found dead with friends Frances Murphy and Mildred Linquist, after the three women from Riverside went on a hike in the park about 90 miles southwest of Chicago. Prosecutors said he acted alone.

Weger, whose conviction wasn’t overturned when he was paroled, has been seeking to prove his innocence since his release. Glasgow was appointed a special prosecutor in the case in 2021. He couldn’t be reached for comment.

According to Weger’s lawyers, his innocence is supported by new tests of the crime scene evidence, a review of the police files and interviews. His lawyers say they suspect a relative of one of the women plotted to kill the women — and that the slayings were carried out by mobsters.

On Wednesday, Jansz is scheduled to hold a hearing on Weger’s request to test additional evidence, Hale said.