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SVM ATHLETES OF THE WEEK SPORTS, B3
FOOD, A8-9
dailyGAZETTE Tuesday, December 31, 2013
SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854
DIXON
Defense: Texts led to fatal fight Court to decide whether messages can be used as evidence in Sigler trial BY CHRISTI WARREN cwarren@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 521
DIXON – Defense attorneys for a Dixon man accused of murdering his wife say that the couple’s Jan. 12 confrontation occurred because of sexual text messages the
man found on his wife’s cell phone. Defense attorney James Mertes said that discovery sparked a fight between Brian Sigler, 35, and his wife, Yolanda, that led to her death. Those text messages – sexual conversations that, the defense
says, occurred between Yolanda Sigler and another man – have been sealed by the court. Whether they can be used as eviBrian dence was the Sigler subject of a hearing Monday in Lee County Court. During the hearing, Brian
Sigler sat next to his attorneys – his handcuffs removed – and watched as they argued that the text messages sent and received by his wife should be admitted as evidence in his upcoming trial. “This is a case of a defendant actually walking in on an adulterous relationship,” Mertes said. Court documents submitted by the defense cite those texts as qualification for a charge of second-degree murder. The defense argues that evidence
of Sigler’s state of mind is absolutely necessary for a jury to decide whether this is a case of first- or second-degree murder. Someone commits the offense of second-degree murder, the defense argues, if “at the time of the killing ... [the defendant] is acting under a sudden and intense passion resulting from serious provocation by the individual killed.” TEXTS CONTINUED ON A4
DIXON
BANK ON WINTER WEATHER STICKING AROUND
New city database aimed at developers Demographic, other infomation available BY MATT MENCARINI mmencarini@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 529
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
A downtown Sterling thermometer delivers the bad news as another cold snap has its icy fingers around the Sauk Valley. Temperatures in the low teens and more snow is forecasted for the rest of the week.
DIXON
Murder charged in shaken-baby case Second grand jury adds charges against father BY CHRISTI WARREN cwarren@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 521
DIXON – Three new charges – including first-degree murder – have been filed against a
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Dixon man who is charged with killing his daughter by shaking her. In a new bill of indictment filed by the state, Charles T. George, 36, is charged with first-degree murder, four counts of aggravated battery of a child, and one count of aggravated domestic battery of a child.
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ABBY ................... A7 BUSINESS ......... A11 COMICS ............. A10
Lee County State’s Attorney Anna Sacco-Miller said a second grand jury was called after new information was obtained from doctors while she prepared for trial. She also cited a court decision made recently in a similar case. MURDER CONTINUED ON A4
CROSSWORD......B9 FOOD ................... A8 LIFESTYLE ........... A7
DIXON – To make it easier for developers to survey what properties are available in Dixon, the city launched a new database. The database was among the priorities that new City Administrator David Nord mentioned before he officially started the job. It launched last week, he said, and contains 21 vacant commercial properties for sale or lease and six undeveloped lots. It can be difficult to get developers to Dixon for a “cold visit,” if they David don’t have a specific Nord property in mind or an idea of what’s available, Nord said. Photos and information on the database could make it easier to let developers see what’s available from Chicago, Rockford and the Quad Cities. Those 27 local properties will also be listed on the state database, which is run by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Nord said, The Dixon database was among the first things Nord wanted to accomplish with the city, he said, because he saw the value in it while he was village administrator in Cherry Valley, a suburb of Rockford. “If you can make it easier for the people looking for sites, it’s all the better,” Nord said. DATABASE CONTINUED ON A2
About the database
Charles T. George charged with first-degree murder
LOTTERY ............. A2 OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6
The database can be found by going to www.DiscoverDixon.org and clicking on the “Business Development” link, then clicking the link to “Available Commercial Buildings and Sites in Dixon” on the left. To get a property or vacant lot listed in the database, call City Hall at 815288-1485.
Today’s weather High 12. Low 9. More on A3.
Need work? Check out your classifieds, B7.
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