Prosecutors say a suspect showed a “disturbing pattern” when he stalked unsuspecting women at their homes and workplaces in McHenry, while video recording them, damaging their cars and taking physical notes on the crimes.
Kishaun C. Davis, 22, of McHenry, was charged with three counts of stalking, two counts of unauthorized video recording and six counts of criminal damage to property.
The McHenry Police Department responded on July 9 to Meijer, 2253 North Richmond Road in McHenry, for a suspicious incident.
The victim, a 31-year-old woman, reported a male subject, later identified as Davis, crouched down beside her with his cell phone placed near her buttocks, police officials said.
Prosecutors said the victim had been shopping in the store when Davis committed the act.
The suspect exited the store after being confronted. The woman was alarmed and disturbed and notified the police.
Police identified Davis using surveillance video, which captured him and his vehicle.
A further investigation developed probable cause to show that Davis recorded the victim’s intimate parts by placing his phone near her loose-fitting clothing, police officials said.
Investigators obtained a search warrant and conducted a forensic analysis of Davis’s cell phone, which showed he was connected to several other reported crimes in and around McHenry, police said.
Prosecutors said Davis had videos on his phone that showed him video recording unsuspecting women beneath their clothing and evidence that led investigators to additional victims.
Investigators also recovered location data allegedly placing Davis near the scenes of the crimes, along with videos and “personal notations” prosecutors contend documented his conduct.
Davis is accused in one case of secretly recording a woman through the window of her home while she was undressed.
He allegedly targeted another woman on four separate occasions over approximately three weeks by repeatedly slashing her tires, prosecutors said.
Davis was also accused of stalking a third woman and slashing two tires on her vehicle while she was at work.
Police said Davis followed the unsuspecting women to their residences and places of employment from March to July.
Officers took Davis into custody near his residence in the 2900 block of Northside Drive in McHenry on Thursday.
The state’s attorney’s office argued in court that the repeated and escalating nature of the conduct, coupled with the number of victims, demonstrated that Davis needed to be detained pending trial to protect the victims and the community.
McHenry County Judge Jeffery Hirsch granted the petition to detain during a hearing on Friday and ordered Davis detained in the McHenry County Jail pending trial.
Hirsch noted that Davis was on conditional discharge for electronic harassment when the stalking offenses occurred. Davis is a convicted felon with additional priors, including possession of a weapon by a felon.
“The circumstances of coming into contact with each victim differ but what happens after that contact is a persistent pattern where the defendant researched, took notes, planned and executed his plans to stalk each victim. In each of those incidents the defendant displayed a distinct modus operandi,” the judge said in his ruling.
“These allegations describe a disturbing pattern of conduct that invaded the privacy and sense of security of multiple women—in their homes, at work, while shopping, and simply going about their daily lives,” McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi Freese said.
“Our office will aggressively prosecute those who stalk and target victims in our community, and we will be a strong voice for each of these women,” Freese said.
The McHenry Police Department and McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office are continuing the investigation into Davis as he is suspected of being involved in additional crimes.
Anyone with information about the investigation is asked to contact the Criminal Investigation Division of the McHenry Police Department at 815-363-2599.
Those wishing to pass along anonymous information are asked to call the McHenry Police Tip Line at 815-363-2124. All calls made to the tip line are anonymous.