Prosecutors detailed disturbing allegations against a man who they say strangled his mother twice — ultimately killing her the second time — after he became enraged that she was pointing her finger at him in Park City.
The Park City Police Department responded around 9:50 a.m. Saturday to the area of Eva Avenue and Koehmstedt Road for a report of a well-being check.
Officers were called to check the well-being of a man who was in the roadway causing a disturbance and yelling, according to Park City Police Chief Kenneth Stoves.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Colleen McConnell said the caller reported the man was screaming and crying in the middle of the street.
Stoves said officers located a man, later identified as Kenneth A. Rixie, 29, of Park City, who was visibly upset.
Rixie told officers, while speaking to them, that he had killed his mother at their shared residence in the 300 block of Betty Street, Stoves said.
Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek identified the woman on Monday as Dorrie Gessler, 66, of Park City.
Rixie’s admission was captured on body camera and he was detained.
McConnell said officers found the home’s front door to be unlocked and slightly ajar before locating Gessler, who was slumped over half on the couch and half on the floor in the living room.
Officers began performing CPR and used an AED device while calling the Gurnee Fire Department to the scene. Paramedics arrived and took over lifesaving measures.
Gessler had blood coming from her nose and bruising to the right side of her face, McConnell said. There were blood stains on a blanket and the couch.
Banek said Gessler was transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville where she was pronounced dead in the emergency room.
An autopsy was performed on Monday morning and the results indicate Gessler died from strangulation, Banek said.
Detectives conducted an interview with Rixie at the Park City Police Department and he agreed to voluntarily speak with them.
Rixie said he and his mother had gotten into an argument earlier that same morning, McConnell said.
He said he got very upset and angry because his mother kept “pointing her finger” at him and he was trying to have a normal conversation.
Gessler continued pointing her finger at him, causing him to become so angry that he turned her around and began to strangle her, Rixie told investigators.
Rixie said he stopped strangling her when he saw her lips starting to turn purple, McConnell said. He said his mother recovered and began talking again after he stopped his attack.
Rixie then strangled Gessler using his hands a second time after she began talking again, causing her lips to turn purple and her breathing to stop, McConnell said.
He said that he saw blood coming out of her nose and then he went outside to have a cigarette.
Rixie said he realized he did not have any matches so he went back inside for a toothpick. He never made any statements about trying to help his mother when he returned to the home, McConnell said.
Detectives noted that Rixie’s demeanor was “all over the place” during the interview and he was visibly angry while describing his actions.
Rixie has no prior criminal history and police have no record of responding to any calls at the family’s home, “which makes this Defendant’s actions particularly shocking,” McConnell said.
“However, this Defendant also admitted that he first strangled the victim to the point where her lips turned purple, and he then stopped and the victim recovered before he began choking her again. This Defendant had the opportunity to realize the gravity of what he had done when he initially released her, but the victim spoke again, and he chose to persist in strangling her to death,” McConnell said.
“Beyond that, after this Defendant strangled the victim to the point where she was no longer breathing and bleeding from her face this Defendant chose not to seek assistance nor attempt to assist her himself, instead this Defendant just chose to have a cigarette,” the prosecutor added.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office approved first-degree murder charges against Rixie and filed a petition to detain him pending trial.
Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim granted the petition and remanded Rixie to the Lake County Jail following a detention hearing on Tuesday afternoon.
A public defender for Rixie made no arguments during the court hearing. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for November 20.