STATEMENT OF FACTS - University of Illinois Springfield

103) At around 5:30 or 6:00 p.m., Gifford called Junior’s mother who told her
that Karyn had been found. (Vol. LXXI, R. 103-04) Gifford believed that a sheriff
had told Mrs. Slover about Karyn. (Vol. LXXI, R. 108)
James Taylor was a friend and co-worker of David Swann at the Herald and
Review. On September 30, 1996, Mr. Taylor accompanied David Swann to the
Piatt County Sheriff’s Office. (Vol. LXIX, R. 100-102; 111-12; 114) At 1:15, Taylor
left Swann at the Sheriff’s office and went to a bank in Piatt County where he
heard from a bank teller that Karyn’s body had been found. (Vol. LXIX, R. 103-06)
Taylor called the Herald and Review and got confirmation the information was
true. (Vol. LXIX, R. 106) Taylor later heard the news conference on the radio as
he returned to Decatur at about 2:30 p.m. (Vol. LXIX, R. 112-13)
State’s Case-in-Chief
Clean-up at Miracle Motors
Marla Burge worked at Green Valley, Inc. which was on property owned by
Senior. (Vol. LVII, R. 1194) On October 1, 1996, Burge asked Senior if he was
related to the missing girl and he said she was his daughter-in-law. Senior also
said he was going to be out of town and he was sweating and more talkative than
usual. (Vol. LVII, R. 1200)
October 1, 1996, was a sunny, unseasonably warm day and Burge stated
she did not know what Senior had been doing prior to coming in to collect the
rent. (Vol. LVII, R. 1204-05) Senior told police he had probably been cleaning the
lot and burning trash he collected that day. (Vol. LX, R. 1885) In addition, Senior
was a heavy man in 1996 – about 40 or 50 pounds heavier than he was at the
time of the trial. (Vol. LVII, R. 1206)
Michael Schollmeier, the President of Green Valley, Inc., saw Senior on the
Miracle Motors property on October 2, 1996. Senior was carrying a shopping bag
towards a burn pile which was on the lot. The smoke from the fire was white and
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