GEE Family (2009) - Logan County / Beason IL

Authorities in Beason, Ilinois have found five family members murdered in their central Illinois home.
Police and local authorities are now searching for the suspect or suspects.

Deputies responding to a 911 call Monday afternoon about a possible shooting in
Beason found the bodies of Raymond and Ruth Gee, their teenage
daughter, teenage son and younger son, Logan County Sheriff Steve
Nichols said Tuesday. A 3-year-old girl survived the attack, Nichols said.

In a news release, Nichols didn't specify how the family members were killed but
said they were the victims of a "brutal" homicide. He said at a news
conference that authorities are trying to identify a suspect.

Nichols says the suspect is considered armed and dangerous.

Beason is 141 miles southwest of Chicago.

Five people were found dead last night in Beason, Ill., about 135 miles northeast of St. Louis.

The victims were all from the same family and range in age from 11 years old to 46 years old.

This was "a brutal homicide against an entire family," said Logan County Sheriff Steve Nichols during a press conference this morning.

Nichols said that police have no suspect in the killings and urged residents to be on alert.

"We would consider this (suspect) armed and dangerous," Nichols said. "Since we don't have the suspect in custody, I want people to be cautious."

Killed were Raymond "Rick" Gee, about 46 years old, Ruth Gee, about 39 years old, Justina Constant, about 16 years old, Dillen Constant, about 14 years old, and Austin Gee, about 11 years old.

A 3-year-old girl -- who the sheriff said was a "possible survivor" -- was found alive and she is being treated at a Peoria hospital. The Peoria hospital is not releasing information about the little girl.

Logan would not say how the family members are related or how they died.

Beason is a central Illinois farming community.

Streets remained closed in the town, and authorities say they have set up a command post.

Illinois State Police Capt. Scott Compton confirmed the agency had crime scene investigators on the scene. But Compton referred other questions to the Logan County sheriff.

Beason is also about 40 miles northeast of Springfield.

The Logan County Sheriff confirms a family of five is dead in Beason, the victims of a brutal homicide.
Sheriff Steve Nichols held a press conference this morning, giving few details.
However, he did say the victims include Raymond and Ruth Gee and their three children, ages 16, 14 and 11.
Sheriff Nichols says there is one survivor, a little girl, who is now at a Peoria hospital.
While a suspect is not in custody, authorities do say they have a person of interest, who they consider armed and dangerous.

A couple and three children were found slain in their central Illinois home in what a sheriff described Tuesday as a "brutal homicide," and detectives were trying to identify possible suspects.

Authorities discovered the bodies late Monday afternoon after responding to a 911 call about possible shots fired at the address, Logan County Sheriff Steven Nichols said at a news conference.

A 3-year-old girl survived the attack and was taken to a hospital in Peoria, he said.

Nichols declined to say why his office didn't release information about the slayings until Tuesday morning. He said detectives were following leads to try to identify possible suspects, but that authorities could only say that the suspect was considered "armed and dangerous."

Nichols warned area residents to lock their doors at night as a precaution.

"We are determined to identify and arrest those responsible," he said.

The slayings, which Nichols described as a "brutal homicide against an entire family," occurred at the family's ranch-style home in Beason, a farming community about 140 miles southwest of Chicago.

Nichols would not provide details about the crime scene or the suspected cause of death, but said an autopsy was scheduled for later Tuesday.

Nichols identified the victims and gave approximate ages: Raymond "Rick" Gee, 46; Ruth Gee, 39; Justina Constant, 16, Dillen Constant, 14; and Austin Gee, 11.

He did not immediately provide details about the girl who survived.

Others in this tiny community described the family as quiet and well-liked.

Postmaster Jodie Duncan said she saw the children every morning when they came to the post office to get on the buses that took them to school.

"They were great kids," she said. "Austin was in the post office every morning in the lobby on the floor doing his homework. He'd say he's more awake in the morning."

She said Raymond Gee worked in construction and that Ruth Gee was a stay-at-home mother.

Beason is about 40 miles northeast of Springfield.

Deputies are still encouraging families in tiny Beason, Illinois to keep their doors locked, and keep an eye on their kids, in the wake of five murders that took place in a home there Monday. Meanwhile the killer remains on the loose. Deputies now say they're looking for a small framed pickup truck, likely a Ford Ranger or Chevy S-10 that was in the area. The vehicle is painted with gray primer and has chrome exhaust pipes coming out of the truck bed.

The couple and three of their children were found brutally slain inside their home in this tiny central Illinois farming community. Police said they responded to a call of shots fired when they found the bodies on Monday, but in a Wednesday morning news conference deputies said the victims were not shot. Sheriff Steve Nichols refused to elaborate on how they died.

A 3-year-old girl survived the attack and was taken to a hospital in Peoria, he said. The girl's grandmother identified her as the couple's daughter, Tabitha Gee.

Nichols declined to say why his office didn't release information about the slayings until Tuesday morning. He said detectives were trying to identify possible suspects, and that those responsible for the killings should be considered "armed and dangerous." Nichols warned area residents to lock their doors at night as a precaution.

The slayings, which Nichols described as a "brutal homicide against an entire family," occurred at the family's ranch-style home in Beason, a farming community about 40 miles northeast of Springfield.

Nichols declined to provide details about the crime scene or the suspected cause of death. He did confirm Wednesday morning that autopsies were complete.

Nichols identified the victims and gave their approximate ages: Raymond "Rick" Gee, 46; Ruth Gee, 39; Justina Constant, 16, Dillen Constant, 14; and Austin Gee, 11. He did not immediately provide details about the girl who survived. The family was described as quiet and well-liked by townspeople and relatives.

"They were very quiet and very kind and never had a bad word to say about anybody," said Ruth Gee's mother, Francis Constant, who lives in nearby Lincoln.

Raymond Gee hustled for work in construction and as a handyman while his wife, a stay-at-home mom, helped out whenever she could, Constant said.

The couple faced their share of hardships, including having an 11-year-old daughter who suffered a brain injury so severe she has live at a special facility in Peoria. She said her son-in-law also had an adult daughter who did not live at the couple's home.

The couple's children attended church, and waited each morning at the town's post office for the school bus.

In Beason, residents gathered on porches to talk about the killings, some obviously worried about what had happened and the fact that as of late in the day authorities had not made any arrests.

Dale Day, who lives a few blocks from the home where the bodies were found, said Tuesday he'd armed himself to be ready for any trouble that might come his way.

"Now I have my 9 mm loaded, cocked and ready to fire if someone breaks into my house," Day said.

Some residents said they had never considered locking their doors at night.

"Not many people lock their doors here," said Brittney Fillmore, 14, who knew both Justina and Dillen from high school. "Something like this isn't what you'd expect especially happening in a small town where everybody knows each other."

Betty Poston, 76, said she had never seen anything like the shootings since she moved to the town at age 10.

"Everybody always got along, neighbor helped neighbor."

About 70 people crowded into a small Methodist church, where a pastor tried to comfort them, particularly the 30 or so children among them.

"Just think of this family as up in heaven having fun, doing the things that make them happy," the Rev. Dale Badman told those gathered. "They don't want you to be burdened by fear, they don't want you to be burdened by pain."

Robert Bagby, the superintendent of Lincoln Community High School, where Justine Constant was a sophomore, described her as "a very vibrant, likable young lady who had a lot of friends."

Bagby said counselors were at the school for students who needed them.

Two of the children killed, Justina and Austin, attended an area Bible club this summer, said Jordan Peck, who led the club. Both children were attentive and polite, and Justina had become a born-again Christian recently.

Postmaster Jodie Duncan's said the children were never a problem when they waited each morning for the bus.

"They were great kids," she said. "Austin was in the post office every morning in the lobby on the floor doing his homework. He'd say he's more awake in the morning."

Anyone looking to help the surviving member of the Gee family can send donations: 1st Methodist Church of Lincoln 302 Broadway Lincoln, IL 62656

The head of the 911 center in Logan County says an adult discovered the bodies of five family members who slain earlier this week and then called authorities.

Logan County Emergency Management Agency Director Dan Fulscher says that the person saw the bloody bodies Monday afternoon, then ran out of the house and called authorities.

Earlier, authorities said they responded to a 911 call of possible shots fired. But on Wednesday, Logan County Sheriff Steven Nichols said the victims did not die of gunshot wounds. He would not elaborate.

Fulscher also says that 72 people are searching for clues in fields and ditches in the bean fields near the house where the family lived.

Police are asking for the public's help in locating a
pickup truck that was spotted in Beason hours before five family
members were found dead Monday in their home.

Few new details in the slayings of Rick and Ruth Gee and three
of the family's children emerged Wednesday. A wide-ranging search
of the surrounding fields continued, and the FBI confirmed it has
been called in to assist the investigation.

A fourth child, a 3-year-old girl who is believed to be the only
survivor of the attack, was in stable condition at a Peoria
hospital, the sheriff said Wednesday. A sheriff's deputy also
remains on guard at the hospital, Nichols said.

The truck is described as a Chevrolet S-10 or Ford Ranger-type
vehicle with gray primer and chrome exhaust pipes coming out of the
bed of the truck, Logan County Sheriff Steve Nichols said at a news
conference Wednesday morning. The truck was seen in Beason before
midnight Sunday, or at least 16 hours before the bodies were
discovered, Nichols said.

"We will take any tips anybody has," he said. "No tip is too
small."

A tip line has been established that will be monitored around
the clock. The number is (217) 732-3000, and callers are asked to
try again if the line is busy.

"We want to know what you know," Nichols said in a statement
later Wednesday.

Clarifications

Meanwhile, Nichols said the five victims did not die from
gunshot wounds, despite initial reports of a possible shooting at
their Broadway Avenue home. Nichols said the original 911 caller
said the victims had been shot and may have assumed so, but
autopsies have since proved otherwise.

Authorities have not disclosed how the family was killed or when
they died. Autopsy results were not be released as of Wednesday
night.

In his statement later Wednesday, Nichols tried to explain why
authorities did not alert the public to the deaths as homicides -
and that a suspect was still on the loose - until the day after the
bodies were found.

"We had to look at the possibility of a murder-suicide," he
said. "With the number of victims and size of the crime scene, the
necessary evidence that determined this to be a homicide was not
available until (Tuesday morning). That information was released at
(Tuesday's) press conference," he said.

Nichols also said that none of the Gees' other relatives are in
protective custody. Some Chicago-based news media reported Tuesday
that some relatives had been taken into protective custody.

FBI joins probe

Meanwhile, the sheriff confirmed Wednesday that the FBI has
joined the Beason investigation.

At least two FBI agents from the Peoria office are in Logan
County to aid the investigation, said Marshall Stone, supervisory
special agent at the FBI's Springfield office. The agents joined
investigators for a lengthy phone conference with the FBI's
Behavioral Sciences Unit at FBI headquarters in Quantico, Va.,
Nichols said.

"The FBI is reviewing case information and crime scene data and
will be assisting with this investigation as it progresses," he
said.

History of the case

Confirmed dead in what police have termed the "brutal homicide"
are Raymond "Rick" Gee, 46, his wife, Ruth Gee, 39, Justina
Constant, 16, Dillen Constant, 14, and Austin Gee, 11. Police first
responded to the home at 1571 2150th Ave. (Broadway) around 4:30
p.m. Monday.

The children and Rick Gee reportedly were last seen Sunday
night, and the children were absent from school Monday.

Without a suspect in custody, Nichols reminded residents
Wednesday to take "normal precautions. Lock your doors, know where
you children are and keep track of your neighbors."

Broadway, or 2150th Ave., was again closed between Illinois 10
and North Street on Wednesday. The entire block surrounding the
home is closed off by authorities.

Tension in this tiny central Illinois town is rising as residents
are fearful of a killer on the loose and growing frustrated by a lack
of information from authorities about the horrific murder of a family
of five. And what little information has been released about the
killings is only adding to the frustration and confusion for some.A
couple and three of their children were found dead on Monday in their
home, but while Logan County sheriff's reported that they discovered
the bodies after responding to a shots-fired call, Sheriff Steve
Nichols said Wednesday that the family members were not killed by
gunshot. Nichols did not divulge how they were killed.Officials
said autopsy results would be made available Tuesday, then pushed it to
Wednesday. After announcing at a Wednesday morning news conference
limited results, Nichols said autopsy results will be made available at
4 p.m. CDT Thursday.

Also during
the news conference, Nichols said police are asking for the public's
help in locating a pickup truck that was spotted in Beason hours before
the family was found dead Monday afternoon.The
small truck is described as a Chevy S10 or Ford Ranger-type vehicle
with gray primer paint and chrome exhaust pipes coming out of the bed
of the truck.The truck was seen in Beason before midnight Sunday, more than 16 hours before the bodies were discovered, Nichols said."We will take any tips anybody has," he said. "No tip is too small."But
some residents, saying they know just about everything and everybody in
this town of 150, said they could be more helpful if they had more
details from police."I feel like they think we're too stupid to help," said one man.Another
said he wishes he knew more about the killing, and the possible
whereabouts of the suspect or suspects, but since he doesn't he's
keeping close tabs on his son."I won't let him out of my sight," he said.Another man said people should just relax and let police handle the investigation.Nichols
said the five victims - Rick and Ruth Gee and three of their children -
did not die from gunshot wounds, despite initial reports of a possible
shooting at their home.A fourth child, a 3-year-old girl who is
believed to be the only survivor of the attack, is in "stable"
condition at a Peoria hospital, the sheriff said Wednesday.

Authorities are looking for a sharp-edged tool and/or
a cylinder-shaped object in connection with the slaying of five
family members in Beason, The Pantagraph learned early
Thursday.

Logan County Sheriff Steve Nichols could not immediately be
reached for comment by the newspaper.

Members of several emergency agencies spent two days searching
soybean fields near the family's home. The search did not resume
Thursday morning, but authorities earlier said they planned to
cover a specific area and were not expected to go beyond that
area.

What appeared to be the last police vehicle in Beason left just
before noon. Windows of the Gee family's home were newly boarded up
with plywood. Broadway Avenue was reopened.

Wednesday's activity

Few new details in the slayings of Rick and Ruth Gee and three
of the family's children emerged Wednesday, although the FBI
confirmed it was called to assist the investigation and Nichols
said autopsies had been completed. He said the five did not die
from gunshot wounds.

Police did ask the public to look for a pickup truck that was
spotted in Beason hours before two adults and three children were
found dead Monday in their home.

A fourth child, a 3-year-old girl who is believed to be the only
survivor of the attack, was in stable condition at a Peoria
hospital, the sheriff said Wednesday. A sheriff's deputy remained
on guard at the hospital, Nichols said.

The truck is described as a Chevrolet S-10 or Ford Ranger-type
vehicle with gray primer and chrome exhaust pipes coming out of the
bed of the truck. Nichols said the truck was seen in Beason before
midnight Sunday, or at least 16 hours before the bodies were
discovered.

"We will take any tips anybody has," he said. "No tip is too
small."

A tip line has been established that will be monitored around
the clock. The number is (217) 732-3000, and callers are asked to
try again if the line is busy.

Police clarifications

Meanwhile, Nichols said the five victims did not die from
gunshot wounds, despite initial reports of a possible shooting at
their Broadway Avenue home. Nichols said the original 911 caller
said the victims had been shot and may have assumed so, but
autopsies have since proved otherwise.

Authorities have not disclosed how the family was killed or when
they died. Autopsy results were not released as of Wednesday
night.

In his statement later Wednesday, Nichols tried to explain why
authorities did not alert the public to the deaths as homicides -
and that a suspect was still on the loose - until the day after the
bodies were found.

"We had to look at the possibility of a murder-suicide," he
said. "With the number of victims and size of the crime scene, the
necessary evidence that determined this to be a homicide was not
available until (Tuesday morning). That information was released at
(Tuesday's) press conference," he said.

Nichols also said that none of the Gees' other relatives are in
protective custody. Some Chicago-based news media reported Tuesday
that some relatives had been taken into protective custody.

FBI joins probe

Meanwhile, the sheriff confirmed Wednesday that the FBI has
joined the Beason investigation.

At least two FBI agents from the Peoria office are in Logan
County to aid the investigation, said Marshall Stone, supervisory
special agent at the FBI's Springfield office. The agents joined
investigators for a lengthy phone conference with the FBI's
Behavioral Sciences Unit at FBI headquarters in Quantico, Va.,
Nichols said.

"The FBI is reviewing case information and crime scene data and
will be assisting with this investigation as it progresses," he
said.

History of the case

Confirmed dead in what police have termed the "brutal homicide"
are Raymond "Rick" Gee, 46, his wife, Ruth Gee, 39, Justina
Constant, 16, Dillen Constant, 14, and Austin Gee, 11. Police first
responded to the home at 1571 2150th Ave. (Broadway) around 4:30
p.m. Monday.

The head of the Logan County Emergency Management Agency, Dan
Fulscher, told The Associated Press the 911 call was made by
someone who entered the house and saw bloody bodies "and very
quickly got out of there."

The children and Rick Gee reportedly were last seen Sunday
night, and the children were absent from school Monday.

Without a suspect in custody, Nichols reminded residents
Wednesday to take "normal precautions. Lock your doors, know where
you children are and keep track of your neighbors."

Residents in Beason, Ill., a small farm town scarred by a shocking murder , learned Thursday afternoon that Rick and Ruth Gee and three of their children died of trauma induced by "blunt-force."
Logan County Sheriff Steven Nichols made the announcement, just a day after he declined to discuss the cause of the deaths.
Five members of the Gee family were found dead in their home Monday afternoon after a 911 call reported possible gunshots being fired on the Gee's property.
The call was made by Rick Gee's stepfather it was confirmed today.
According to the The Pantagraph, he is the one who found the family's
bodies Monday afternoon. "It is burned in the back of my eyeballs," he
told the newspaper. "I am the one who found them," William "Pudge"
Koehler said at his Lincoln,Ill. home. The newspaper reports he
declined further comment and said he was just getting his first real
sleep since the slayings.
Restless residents, who were advised to keep their doors locked at all
times, are still left with more questions than answers. Police would
not say what object (or objects) may have been used to kill the family.
It is also still unclear what could have been a motive for the
slayings, and police would also not discuss whether officials have
recovered any weapons or if investigators have identified any suspects.
The tiny town of 250 residents has been under the watchful eye of
police since Monday, when officers blocked off the road leading up to
the blue-gray house, now turned crime scene. The windows of what was
once a home, now boarded up by plywood.
Over the past two days, an army of about 70 investigators could
be seen searching the sprawling miles of corn fields looking for
evidence. But by this morning officials had cleared out the Beason
Firehouse which had been used as a command post.
At Thursday's news conference, Nichols said investigators had
just finished combing through the crime scene. "The forensic evidence
in this case is significant," Nichols said. Nichols also confirmed that
the FBI was assisting investigators in the case. Logan County police said that more than 100 tips have come into a special hot line
set up to aid the investigation.On Wednesday, police asked the public to be on the lookout for a gray
pickup truck with chrome exhaust pipes that was seen in the area on
Sunday night.Among the deceased family members are Raymond "Rick" Gee, 46; Ruth Gee,
39; Justina Constant, 16, Dillen Constant, 14; and Austin Gee, 11.
A sixth member of the family, 3-year-old Tabitha Gee, survived
the attack and was airlifted to a hospital in nearby Peoria. She is
listed in stable condition and being cared for by her grandmother.
Funeral services are temporarily "on hold," according to Koehler, as the family focuses on young Tabitha's recovery..

Logan County Sheriff Steve Nichols is confident his
deputies will solve the family massacre in Beason.

"We're not going to quit," he told reporters Friday during a
news conference.

He said more than 250 people have reported tips to a special hot
line, and reward money is available through the local CrimeStoppers
chapter. More reward money may be offered as the case
continues.

Meanwhile, in Beason, the house where five members of the Gee
family were murdered and a child was viciously attacked sat silent
Friday. The windows were boarded up and crime scene tape
removed.

Police said blunt force trauma was the cause of death for
Raymond "Rick" Gee, 46, Ruth Gee, 39, and three of their children,
Justina Constant, 16, Dillen Constant, 14, and Austin Gee, 11,
whose bodies were found late Monday afternoon by Rick Gee's
stepfather. The family's 3-year-old daughter, Tabitha, remains at a
Peoria hospital under police guard.

Logan County Coroner Bob Thomas said it will be several months
before he will hold an inquest into the family's deaths.

"With the severity and the depth (of this case), I want to wait
until more detailed reports are available from police," Thomas
said. "They need time to do their work, and we want to have as much
information as possible."

Nichols said task force officers have spent hundreds of hours
investigating the leads generated from the hot line, 732-3000.

"We are diligently pursuing these tips," Nichols said. "We
encourage the public to keep calling."

A substantial amount of evidence is being analyzed by the state
police crime lab. Nichols said he expects to receive more leads as
the test results become available.

Being more specific than he had been in past days, the sheriff
said the family's dog has been turned over to the local humane
society. In response to a question about whether the dog barked
during the attack, Nichols said the dog was in the backyard while
officers processed the crime scene and was "quiet."

He also further described a pickup truck reportedly seen in the
vicinity before midnight Sunday. The small truck, perhaps a Ford
Ranger or Chevrolet S-10, has exhaust pipes protruding vertically
from the back of the truck bed, between the wheel wells and the
tailgate.

The truck was described as painted primer gray. Nichols
emphasized that the color of the truck was not a "factory paint
job."

Because of the unusual position of the tailpipes, Nichols said
anyone who sees any vehicle with those kinds of exhaust pipes
should call the hot line.

Authorities are seeking the public's
help in solving the slayings of five members of a central Illinois
family, saying the suspect or suspects may be injured.Police won't say if they are seeking one or more suspects in the deaths.But Logan County Sheriff Steven Nichols
said Saturday that a "violent struggle took place" and it's highly
likely that the person or people responsible also are injured.

Nichols is asking the public to "take a look at everyone ... they may
encounter" for recent injuries, especially to arms, the head and the
upper body.He says injuries could include cuts, bruises or loss of hair.Authorities found the bodies of Ruth and Raymond Gee and three of their children Monday at their Beason home.

Whoever killed five members of the Gee family in
Beason may have been wounded in a struggle, Logan County Sheriff
Steve Nichols said Saturday.

"During the brutal murders ... a violent struggle took place,"
Nichols said in a news release. "There is a possibility that the
person or persons responsible may have been injured
themselves."

The sheriff asked the public to "look at everyone they know
and/or may encounter that may have recent injuries, especially to
their arms, head or upper body." There also may be wounds elsewhere
on the body, he said.

Injuries could include cuts, lacerations, bruises, contusions,
abrasions and/or loss of hair, he said.

Anyone with information about someone with such recent injuries
is asked to call the tip line at 732-3000.

"No tip is too small," Nichols has said previously.

Police said blunt force trauma was the cause of death for
Raymond "Rick" Gee, 46, Ruth Gee, 39, and three of their children,
Justina Constant, 16, Dillen Constant, 14, and Austin Gee, 11.
Their bodies were found late Monday afternoon by Rick Gee's
stepfather.

The Gees' 3-year-old daughter, Tabitha, survived the attack and
remains at a Peoria hospital under police guard.

Police also are still looking for a pickup truck reportedly seen
in the vicinity before midnight Sunday. The small truck, perhaps a
Ford Ranger or Chevy S-10, has exhaust pipes protruding vertically
from the back of the truck bed, between the wheel wells and the
tailgate.

The truck was described as painted primer gray. Nichols
emphasized the color of the truck was not a "factory paint
job."

Nichols was not available for comment Saturday.

The funeral for the family is scheduled for 2 p.m. Monday in
Mount Pulaski.

Nearly 500 people gathered to remember members of the Gee family who were found slain in their Beason home last week.

Speakers at a funeral service in Mount Pulaski Monday remembered Rick and Ruth Gee and their three deceased children as "just simple people."

Family friend John Johnson said the Gees were down to earth. He says that "to honor this family, just keep it real."

The bodies of the Gees and children Justina Constant, Dillen Constant and Austin Gee were discovered Sept. 21. Police have no suspects in the slaying.

Relatives spoke at the funeral service and remembered the family as warm and welcoming. They said Rick Gee was mild-mannered and had a big heart.

An Illinois State Police squad car sat outside the worship center during the service.

The former son-in-law of an Illinois man, who was killed along with
four other family members in their Beason home, has been arrested and
charged with five murders. Christopher J. Harris of McLean County was
charged with the beating deaths of Rick and Ruth Gee and three of their
children.
Tabitha Gee, a 3-year-old, survived the attack but was in critical condition.

"The arrest is based on the tireless efforts of the
investigators and the Illinois State Police Crime Lab forensic analysis
of evidence removed from the crime scene," Sheriff Steve Nichols told
reporters. "There are more investigative leads to be followed. We have
not determined at this time if more arrests may come."Nichols declined to give more details or discuss the possible motive
for the killings. The sheriff said a "violent struggle" preceded the
deaths, which authorities attributed to "blunt force trauma."
Divorced in March 2007Investigators did seize a 1989 Ford Ranger pickup truck that belonged
to Harris. The truck matched the description of a truck seen in the
area at the time of the slayings.On Sept. 21, police found five members of the Gee family dead in their
home after receiving a call saying shots were fired. But later,
investigators said the victims were beaten to death and no one was shot.Killed were Raymond "Rick" Gee, 46, his wife, Ruth Gee, 39, and
children Justina Constant, 16, Dillen Constant, 14, and Austin Gee, 11.Harris formerly was married to another daughter, Nicole Gee, who did
not live at the Beason home. Nicole Gee and Harris were divorced in
March 2007. Nicole petitioned the court May of this year seeking
modification of child support.

A 30-year-old man was arrested Thursday in
connection with the deaths of five members of a central Illinois
family, authorities said.
Logan County Sheriff Steven Nichols announced the arrest of Christopher
J. Harris, of neighboring McClean County, at an evening news
conference. The sheriff said Harris "was being charged" with murder.
Logan County State's Attorney Michael McIntosh said formal charges had
not been filed Thursday night. "The arrest is based on the tireless efforts of the investigators and
the Illinois State Police Crime Lab forensic analysis of evidence
removed from the crime scene," Nichols said. "There are more
investigative leads to be followed. We have not determined at this time
if more arrests may come." A phone listing for Harris could not be located Thursday and it was not immediately clear if he had an attorney.
Raymond "Rick" Gee, 46, and Ruth Gee, 39, were found dead in their
Beason home Sept. 21 with their children, 16-year-old Justina Constant,
14-year-old Dillen Constant and 11-year-old Austin Gee. Police have
said they were killed by blunt force trauma preceded by a "violent
struggle." A 3-year-old daughter was found alive but seriously injured.
Authorities offered few other details about the arrest
Thursday, including a possible motive. Nichols said Harris was familiar
with the Gee family, but wouldn't say how. Residents in the
small farming community of just a few hundred people said Rick Gee's
oldest daughter, Nicole, was once married to a Chris Harris. Public
records also indicate a Chris Harris once shared the same address as
Nicole Gee, who lives about a mile from where her family was found
slain. Records also show Nicole Gee's former husband was born the same
month and year as the man arrested Thursday. The sheriff also
said officers recovered a gray pickup truck they had been seeking after
it was spotted in Beason around the time of the killings. Jennifer
C. Earnest, of Armington, said she sold Chris Harris a gray truck
matching the description of the one authorities sought. A gray truck
was spotted outside Nicole Gee's house days after the killings. A knock on the door of the home went unanswered Thursday. After the killings last month, local police initially warned area
residents to take extra precautions, such as making sure to lock their
doors at night. Funeral services for the family were held
Monday. Hundreds of friends and acquaintances attended and heard the
Gees' relatives recall them as kind, simple people with warm hearts.

Christopher J. Harris made his first appearance in a Logan County
courtroom Friday on charges he killed his ex-in-laws and three of their
children and tried to kill a fourth child.
Harris, 30, was formally charged with five counts of first-degree
murder and one count of attempted murder. Raymond "Rick" Gee, his wife
Ruth and children Justina Constant, 16, Dillen Constant, 14, and Austin
Gee, 11, were found dead in their Beason home on Sept. 21. Another
child, 3-year-old Tabitha Gee, survived.
Christopher J. Harris,
center, attends the funeral Monday for the five members of the Gee
family.
On Thursday, Harris was arrested for allegedly committing the
murders.

Harris is scheduled to be in court again Tuesday.
The funeral for the family was Monday, and a State Journal-Register
photographer captured an image of Harris standing amid other family
members after the service.
Harris lived in McLean County, most recently in Armington, which is
about 20 miles north of Lincoln, and worked at the Dixie Travel Plaza
in along Interstate 55 in McLean, according to the fuel desk’s general
manager Tina Kletz.
He left the job in June after several months working the register,
she said, but employees recalled the gray primered truck he drove. So
when authorities sought information about such a truck last week in the
wake of the murders, Kletz said employees contacted them.
“We knew the vehicle that he drove ... and it just so happens he was from around that area,” she said.
Kletz says employees are divided on whether Harris’ truck included
the unusual vertical exhaust pipes coming out of the bed of the truck
that was emphasized in authorities' description of the vehicle seen in
the area of the murders late Sept. 20 or early Sept. 21.
“Some say it did, some say it didn’t,” she said.
When news of Harris’ arrest broke Thursday night, “we all started calling each other,” Kletz said. “All of us are in shock.”
Harris formerly was married to Nicole Gee, Rick Gee’s daughter, who
did not live at the home where the killings took place. Nicole Gee
received a divorce from Harris in March of 2007 based on grounds of
mental cruelty. In May, she took Harris to court seeking modification
of child support, court records show.
Kletz said Harris never mentioned a relationship with Nicole or
talked about his family at work. Though they didn’t know him well, she
said everyone liked him.
“We knew him, he wasn’t somebody we went out with, but we worked
with him. ... He was for the most part, quiet,” she added. “He was
friendly, a nice guy, none of us had problems.”
Meanwhile, in Beason on Friday, the home where Harris and Nicole Gee
once lived together was still. According to a 2008 speeding ticket,
Harris had lived at a home at the corner of Broadway and South streets
where residents say Nicole Gee resides, only a few blocks from where
the murders took place.
A pile of cinder blocks forms steps to the front of the house, where
a porch light was on Friday afternoon and a Halloween sign adorned one
of the porch posts. There also were two chairs, two porch swings and a
children’s bicycle on the porch.
No one answered the door and nearby neighbors either weren’t home or would not comment.
Beason, a town of about 200 people, is about 10 miles east of Lincoln.

An Illinois man was charged with first-degree murder Friday in the slaying of five members of his ex-wife's family.

Christopher Harris, 30, was arrested Thursday in the bludgeoning deaths of the Gee family in the tiny town of Beason last month. He was charged Friday with five counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder and could face the death penalty if convicted.

Jason Harris, Harris' 22-year-old brother, said he saw his brother on the day the bodies were discovered and that he was acting normally, with no sign he'd been involved in a violent incident.

"My brother is innocent — 100 percent," he said, calling the accusations "mind-boggling."

Harris was divorced several years ago from Nicole Gee, whose father, his wife and three of their children were killed. Harris and Gee had reconciled, intended to marry again and recently had a second child together, Harris' stepmother Debbie Harris said.

Harris has been working as a cook at a Steak 'n Shake in Lincoln while also studying architecture at Lincoln College, where he got A and B grades, his stepmother said. In his free time, he enjoyed taking his family boating on area rivers and lakes, she said.

"There is no way he did this. I think he's being used as a scapegoat," she said.

Debbie Harris said her stepson was never prone to violence. "That was not in his nature," she said.

But in court records from the couple's 2006 divorce, Nicole Gee accused Harris of "mostly verbal abuse, some physical." And a judge granted them a divorce on grounds of Harris' "extreme and repeated mental cruelty."

Raymond "Rick" Gee, 46, and Ruth Gee, 39, were found dead in their home Sept. 21 with their children, 16-year-old Justina Constant, 14-year-old Dillen Constant and 11-year-old Austin Gee. Police have said they were killed by blunt force trauma preceded by a "violent struggle." A 3-year-old daughter was found alive but seriously injured.

Logan County Sheriff Steve Nichols announced an arrest on Thursday, October 1, had taken place in connection to the murders of 46-year-old Raymond “Rick” Gee, his wife 39-year-old Ruth, and their three of their children, 16-year-old Justina Constant, 14-year-old Dillen Constant, and 11-year-old Austin Gee. The youngest child, and only survivor, Tabitha Gee, is severely injured and remains in the hospital. Christopher Harris, the ex-husband of Nicole Gee Harris and father to three of her children, now accused of bludgeoning to death the Gees in a brutal struggle that took place sometime Sunday evening. He is charged with multiple murders.
The Gee children did attend Church on Sunday, but did not attend school on Monday. On Monday afternoon, a neighborhood boy went to the Gees home and knocked on the door. It opened and he made the gruesome discovery. The boy ran home and after relating what he saw, calls went out to relatives of the Gees. Nicole Gee Harris was one of the first to respond and one of the first to view the bloody murder scene. A 911 call went out and the county sheriff’s office quickly responded. The scene was so bloody and brutal the caller thought it was a possible shooting.
Beason is a small farm town of about 200 located in rural Logan County in the State of Illinois. It is so small that most everyone knows everyone else. As reported in the stltoday.com, the postmaster, Judie Duncan, recalled how the Gee children and others would wait for the school bus outside the tiny storefront of the post office each morning. The quiet community, shocked by the violence of the murders, was accustomed to basking in the perception of safety, seldom locking their cars or doors at night. Sheriff Steve Nichols quickly put the word out for all residents to lock their doors and take every caution, while he, and his deputies, investigated the murders and hunted down the killer or killers.
Yellow police tape surrounding the Gee home and buildings on their property. Located on the outskirts of Beason, it is the first house on the road leading to the city of Beason. Moreover, if that weren’t enough to tell people the Sheriff was on the case, the large fifth wheel with the big badge painted on the side and parked at the Gee home, would leave little doubt. They covered the house and other buildings with a fine toothcomb and brought out DNA, fingerprints, and blood as potential evidence. Sheriff Nicole was determined to solve this crime and get justice for the family. He requested assistance from the FBI immediately. No stone will be left unturned.
It didn’t take long for over 250 tips to come in. Then someone came forward with a description of the grey trunk seen at the Gee’s home on Sunday evening.
Still time seemed to pass slowly for relatives and friends of the Gee family, as well as the towns people. On September 25, tribune.com reported the autopsy indicated blunt force injury as the cause of death. Canine dog teams searched the perimeter of the home and the bean fields. It was notable the dogs took a direct path, north to the road.
Funeral services were on Monday, September 28. Family and friends of the victims attended, including (as reported by sj-r.com) Chris Harris.
An employee of the Dixie Travel Plaza in McLean recognized the description of the truck as belonging to former employee, Chris Harris. Then Marjorie Wright told pantagraph.com that on Wednesday night she saw Harris put his truck into Nicole Gee’s garage.
Nicole Gee Harris and Chris Harris divorced in March of 2007. According to Logan County public records, there were several hearings regarding support and one filed by Harris about visitation. The couple recently had another child together.
The Harris family does not believe Chris Harris is guilty and they plan to hire an attorney out of Chicago.
The investigation continues and Sheriff Steven Nicole is not ruling out the possibility of future arrests

Christopher Harris has been transferred to the McLean County Jail as
he awaits a court appearance this afternoon on charges he murdered the
Rick Gee family in Beason last month.
Harris’ stepmother, Debbie Harris, said Chris Harris called her and
his father, Ed, Saturday morning to let them know he had been moved and
to profess his innocence.
Chris Harris, 30, is charged with the beating deaths of Rick and
Ruth Gee and their children, Justina Constant, 16, Dillen Constant, 14
and Austin Gee, 11. Harris also is accused of trying to kill another
child, 3-year-old Tabitha Gee, who survived the attack.
Meanwhile, security has been stepped up for Tabitha Gee at the
Peoria hospital where she is hospitalized. Nicole Gee, Chris Harris’
ex-wife and the adult daughter of Rick Gee, is no longer allowed to
visit Tabitha, Debbie Harris confirmed.
“Nicole did tell me yesterday that they’re doing that with Tabitha …
until they’re (investigators are) done thoroughly checking Nicole out,”
Debbie Harris said. “It’s very heartbreaking. It’s tearing Nicole up.”
Officers at hospital
Police officers have been stationed at the hospital with Tabitha Gee
since she was taken there after the murders were discovered Sept. 21.
Investigators also continued to question Nicole Gee, as well as Debbie and Ed Harris, Monday afternoon, Debbie Harris said.
“They think she (Nicole Gee) knows something, not that she had
anything to do with it, but that she might be withholding information,
and she’s told them so many times everything she knows,” she said.
Logan County Sheriff Steve Nichols has said Harris’ arrest was based
on forensic evidence, but would not elaborate. He has said the
investigation is continuing and that authorities f additional arrests
are still possible.
Nicole Gee and Harris divorced in 2007, but the couple continued to
have an on-and-off-again relationship. A second child, a son, was born
eight weeks ago. The couple also has a 9-year-old daughter.
Debbie Harris said Nicole Gee believes in Harris’ innocence, and a
posting on a MySpace page attributed to Nicole Gee over the weekend
says “there’s not a doubt in my mind” that Harris isn’t a murderer.
Meanwhile, Tabitha and another surviving child, Jessica Gee, who was
not in the home when the murders took place, are now in the custody of
the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services custody.
In DCFS custody
“The court has granted DCFS temporary custody of the two remaining
children in this family,” DCFS spokesman Kendall Marlowe said Monday
afternoon. “I’m not going to comment further on this case at this time
out of respect for the family’s privacy.”
He would not say when the custody was granted.
“In situations where there’s not a parent or guardian -- yes, this is an entirely routine situation,” he said.
Jessica Gee, one of Rick and Ruth Gee’s children who is severely
disabled, was already in DCFS custody due to her disability, according
to Debbie Harris. She did not live with the Gees.
Harris said she supports law enforcement’s efforts to keep the
children protected, since she believes the killer hasn’t been found.
She added that her family has nothing against the sheriff’s department.
“We (Debbie and Ed Harris) told the sheriff, ‘You know, we’re
law-abiding citizens… all we want is the truth. If by some miracle,
Chris did this, and you’ve got 100 percent proof in forensics to back
this up that Chris did this, then we’ll stand behind the police
department,” she said. “But, if you don’t, then we’d expect the police
department to work to set Chris free and find the real killers.”
Debbie Harris said her family, as well as Nicole Gee and her
relatives, plan to support Chris Harris during his court appearance in
Logan County at 3 p.m. today.
Harris’ family also is working to get him an attorney. He was appointed a public defender on Friday.
Debbie Harris said Chris Harris called her and Ed Saturday morning from the McLean County Jail.
“He said, ‘You got to know, I didn’t kill anybody… and the scariest
part about this is the killer is still out loose, so keep your doors
locked. People are letting their guard down,’” she said. “And then he
started crying.”

The ex-wife of Christopher Harris, the man accused of killing five of
her family members in Beason, Ill., has taken to her MySpace.com page
in his defense.


"All this is such a mess and it is not right at all. now not only
has my children lost 5 very close family members but there daddy is
being set up and taken away this is too much," Gee wrote in her
error-laden message.

"…there is hard solid evidence of all 6 of them fighting for there
lives and chris had not even the slightest nik on his body anywhere. he
had been by our side through all this in every possible way and now
they took him from us too," she continued.

Harris is scheduled to appear in court today, and relatives say they will be in the courtroom to offer their support.


Harris was arrested last week with the bludgeoning deaths of
Raymond and Ruth Gee and three of their children in the town of Beason,
which is about 35 miles northeast of Springfield. He was charged Friday
with five counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted
murder and could face the death penalty if convicted.


Harris was divorced several years ago from Nicole Gee, whose
father, his wife and three of their children were killed. Harris and
Gee had reconciled, intended to marry again and recently had a second
child together, Harris' step-mom Debbie Harris said.

Relatives insist Harris is innocent.


"There is no way he did this. I think he's being used as a scapegoat,"
Debbie Harris said of her step-son, adding that he is a gentle man not
capable of the crime.


Jason Harris, Harris' 22-year-old brother, said he saw his brother
on the day the bodies were discovered and that he was acting normally,
with no sign he'd been involved in a violent incident.


"My brother is innocent, 100 percent," he said, calling the accusations "mind-boggling."


Harris has been working as a cook at a Steak 'n Shake in Lincoln
while also studying architecture at Lincoln College, where he got A and
B grades, his stepmother said. In his free time, he enjoyed taking his
family boating on area rivers and lakes, she said.


"He is mild mannered with a good sense of humor," she said, adding
her stepson was never prone to violence. "That was not in his nature."


But in court records from the couple's 2006 divorce, Nicole Gee
accused Harris of "mostly verbal abuse, some physical." And a judge
granted them a divorce on grounds of Harris' "extreme and repeated
mental cruelty."


Raymond "Rick" Gee, 46, and Ruth Gee, 39, were found dead in their home
Sept. 21 with their children, 16-year-old Justina Constant, 14-year-old
Dillen Constant and 11-year-old Austin Gee.

Police have said they were killed by blunt force trauma preceded by
a "violent struggle." A 3-year-old daughter was found alive but
seriously injured.


Debbie Harris said her stepson had a good relationship with the Gees, frequently dropping off his own children for the day.


"There is no motive here," she said. "There was no reason. This is why we are in shock."


Police not only searched Harris' home, Debbie Harris said, they
also searched hers and the home of Jason Harris, testing bathtubs and
cars for traces of blood.


"Everything's come up empty-handed," she said. "Nothing adds up."


Authorities have offered few details about Harris' arrest, including a possible motive.


Friday, Harris appeared in Logan County court in black-and-white
striped prison garb and replied "yes, sir" twice to questions from
Judge Thomas Harris, who ordered Harris held without bail. Harris is
set to appear in court again Tuesday.


He sat through Friday's hearing with his head bowed and quietly
sobbing. Public defender Patrick Timoney said he expected Harris to
plead not guilty.


Logan County Sheriff Steven Nichols has said officers recovered a
gray pickup truck they had been seeking after it was spotted in Beason
around the time of the killings. A truck matching the description of
the one authorities sought was parked outside Nicole Gee's house for
days after the slayings.


Debbie Harris said authorities removed her stepson's truck in the middle of this week.


After the killings, local police initially warned area residents to
take extra precautions, such as making sure to lock their doors at
night. Rev. Dayle Badman, pastor of the United Methodist Church in
Beason, said some residents felt relieved by the arrest.


"I'm just glad that something has transpired and maybe we can begin
to put this to rest," Badman said. She said older people had been
especially worried and the arrest "may allay some of their fears."

Harris has been transferred to a jail in Bloomington.

An Illinois man has been charged with helping his older brother beat
to death members of his ex-wife's family, less than a week after the
younger sibling insisted his brother was innocent of the crime.


Jason
Harris, 22, of Armington, was charged Thursday with five counts of
murder and one count of attempted murder, Logan County Sheriff Steve
Nichols said. Identical charges were filed Oct. 2 against Harris'
brother, Christopher Harris, whose former father-in-law, Raymond "Rick"
Gee, Gee's wife, Ruth, and three of their children were found
bludgeoned to death in their home in the tiny central Illinois town of
Beason on Sept. 21.
A 3-year-old daughter was found alive but seriously injured. She has been hospitalized since the attack.The brothers could face the death penalty if convicted.In
an interview with The Associated after his brother's arrest, Jason
Harris had called the accusations "mind-boggling" and said his brother
showed no injuries or blood spatters."My brother is innocent — 100 percent," he said.Harris
is being held without bond. His court-appointed attorney, Steven B.
Skelton, said Thursday night that he didn't know anything about the
specific accusations because he had not yet seen the charges or met
with the defendant.Skelton said Harris' first court appearance was scheduled for 3 p.m. Tuesday in Lincoln.Christopher
Harris, 30, was divorced several years ago from Nicole Gee, whose
father, his wife and three of their children were killed. Harris and
Gee had reconciled, intended to marry again and recently had a second
child together, his stepmom, Debbie Harris, told the AP last week. She
also said Christopher Harris was not capable of committing the crime
and had no motive.Police have said the five family members were
killed by blunt force trauma preceded by a "violent struggle." Found
dead along with the parents were 16-year-old Justina Constant,
14-year-old Dillen Constant and 11-year-old Austin Gee.Authorities have offered few details about brothers' arrests, including a possible motive.Jason
Harris already was in custody when the murder charges were filed
against him. He, his girlfriend, Jennifer C. Earnest, 24, and her
mother, Sara A. Duncan, 43, of Sarasota, Fla., were arrested and
charged Wednesday with obstruction of justice in the case.

Two women charged with obstruction of justice in the murders of five
family members in Beason, Illinois will apparently wait out their legal
proceedings in Florida.The State Journal - Register
reports this morning that Jennifer Earnest, 24, was granted a bond
reduction yesterday and the court gave her permission to move to
Florida to be with her family.Her family includes her mother,
Sara Duncan, who is also charged with obstruction. Duncan is a resident
of Sarasota but was in Illinois at the time of the murders.

Earnest and Duncan

Police
allege Duncan and Earnest gave false alibis for the two men charged
with the murders of the Rick Gee family. They are brothers Chris and
Jason Harris. Earnest is Jason Harris' girlfriend and they have a
child together.Both Earnest and Duncan have pleaded not guilty.
Duncan was able to post bond earlier this week. She is employed by a
insurance company in Florida. The State Journal - Register reports
Earnest is still trying to come up with her bond money, but now that it
has been reduced to $10,000, she apparently has a good chance of making
bond. Earnest has been in jail since she was arrested October 7.Rick
and Ruth Gee and three of their children were found bludgeoned to death
in their home September 21. A 3-year-old child survived the attack. This
week a grand jury returned a nearly 60 count indictment against each of
the Harris brothers. In addition to the murders, investigators also
charged the brothers with robbery and the attempted sexual assault of
Gee's 16-year-old daughter, Justina. Police say the weapon used to
murder Justina and the rest of her family was most likely a tire iron.The
Harris brothers knew the Gee family because Chris was the ex-husband of
Nicole Gee, the 27-year-old daughter of Rick. Nicole lived down the
block from her family.

A year after the brutal slayings of five family members shook this tiny Logan County town, one question continues to eat away at its residents: Why would someone invade Rick and Ruth Gee's home and savagely beat them and three of their children to death? "The biggest thing for me is, 'why?' I think that's what everybody's thinking," Beason Postmaster Jodie Duncan said. Brothers Christopher and Jason Harris, both of Armington, are charged with the Sept. 21, 2009, killings of the couple and three of their children: Justina Constant, 16, Dillen Constant, 14, and Austin Gee, 11. They also are accused of the attempted murder of Tabitha Gee, then 3, who survived the attack. Rick and Ruth Gee were Christopher Harris' former in-laws. Authorities have not said what they think was the motive. "Sometimes, I don't care what the reason was, because, no matter what, they're gone," said Duncan, who became a guardian of sorts over the town's children, who gathered at the post office's school bus stop every weekday last school year. "And you're never going to get over it. I'm never going to get over it, but you have to move forward." Moving forward they are, with sadness in their hearts and hope for justice for the victims. Neighbors now look out for one another more than ever and share a closer bond. "The people that live there are hard workers. They love their families. They don't have a lot of money, but they make what they have work for them," the Rev. Dayle Badman said. Badman was pastor at Beason United Methodist Church for three years and was instrumental in helping the community deal with its grief. She was assigned to a new church in Morrisonville in July. "The people of Beason have cried together and laughed together and worked together, and they will go forward," she said. "I'm very proud of them." A candlelight vigil is planned for Tuesday at the park the community refurbished in memory of the three children. The park now includes new playground equipment, horseshoe pits, three flowering crab trees, a memorial marker and three benches, each inscribed with the name of one of the children and representing their favorite colors - blue for Austin, green for Dillen and red for Justina. Volunteers from Beason and Lincoln, as well as southern Illinois and Missouri, pitched in on May 1 to assemble the new playground, which was paid for by donations and a large fundraiser at the Logan County Fairgrounds. Duncan, who spearheaded the effort to get the playground built, said it's become a source of pride. Justina's classmates from Lincoln Community High School had a picnic there, and classes at Chester East Lincoln School, where Austin attended, have also visited, she said. Arlene Jones of Witt, Dillen Constant's great-aunt, said she and another relative went to visit the park this summer. "We just thought it was wonderful," Jones said. "It's very nice that the town did that." The crime scene is still a painful reminder in Beason. The Gees' ranch-style home sits along Beason's major thoroughfare and is one of the first homes visitors see coming off Illinois Route 10. Boards cover its windows and a no-trespassing sign is posted to preserve evidence inside. Two minivans and a recreation vehicle remain parked outside. "There are questions about what is taking so long (with the trial) and what's going to happen to the house," though residents understand investigators need time to build a solid case, Duncan said. But Duncan says knowing that Tabitha, who will turn 5 in November, not only survived the attack but also is thriving, is a comfort. She calls Tabitha "a miracle" and said residents get updates about her progress. Tabitha, along with another surviving child, Jessica Gee, who was not in the home when the killings took place, remain in the custody of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, agency spokesman Kendall Marlowe said. He declined to say where each girl is staying but said Jessica, who is disabled, lives in a rehabilitation center. Duncan says she often walks to the park on her lunch break. "I'm just glad I knew them while they were here," she said.
- Raymond "Rick" Gee, 46, was the owner of Gee Construction. He married Ruth Constant in 1997 in Beason. The couple had three children together - Jessica, Austin and Tabitha Gee. He also has an adult daughter, Nicole Gee, and two sons. "Rick was a gentle, giving, generous and extremely loyal person. He was devoted to his loved ones and helping others," his obituary said. - Ruth Constant Gee, 39, was a homemaker and member of Park Meadows Baptist Church in Lincoln. In addition to her children with Rick Gee, she had two other children, Justina and Dillen Constant. "She loved and cared for people. She enjoyed helping her husband with his work while their children were at school," her obituary said. - Justina M. Constant, 16, was the daughter of Ruth Gee. She attended Lincoln Community High School. - Dillen Constant, 14, was the son of Ruth Gee and Gerald Miller of Lincoln. He was a student at Lincoln Junior High School, where he wrestled for the Trojan wrestling team. - Austin Gee, 11, was the son of Rick and Ruth Gee and attended Chester East Lincoln School, where he was active in the band and chorus. - Tabitha Gee, now 4, is the daughter of Rick and Ruth Gee. After the attack, she spent more than a month in a Peoria hospital. She is expected to fully recover. Police say five members of the Gee family were bludgeoned to death, allegedly by two brothers, armed with a tire iron, who invaded their home, tried to sexually assault one of the victims and stole a laptop computer. Christopher and Jason Harris, both of Armington, are accused of the September 2009 slayings of Rick and Ruth Gee and three of their children. The Harris brothers also are charged with attempted criminal sexual assault for allegedly attacking Justina Constant, and with attempted murder and aggravated battery of a child connected to the severe injuries of a fourth child, Tabitha Gee. Christopher Harris is the former husband of Nicole Gee, Rick Gee's grown daughter. He and Nicole have two children together. Additionally, the brothers are charged with home invasion, armed robbery, robbery and residential burglary. Jason Harris faces three additional charges of obstruction of justice. He's accused of giving false information to Illinois State Police about his and his brother's whereabouts during the early morning hours of Sept. 21, 2009, thought to be when the killings took place. Jason Harris also is accused of burning clothing belonging to his brother and hiding a laptop computer allegedly stolen from the Gees' home. Jason Harris' girlfriend, Jennifer Earnest, and her mother, Sara Duncan, also allegedly provided a false alibi for Christopher Harris. They are charged with obstructing justice. Both are free on bond. Duncan's trial is scheduled for Oct. 18 and Earnest's for Dec. 13. Prosecution and defense attorneys earlier this month reached an agreement regarding DNA testing on about 80 pieces of evidence in the murder case. A decision on whether prosecutors will seek the death penalty for the brothers is scheduled for Feb. 4. It could be years before the case goes to trial. A year after the killings of the Gee family, the name "Beason" still holds some notoriety. The town's postmaster, Jodie Duncan, has a son who attends college in Quincy. Whenever he says where he's from, he is asked about the slayings. Duncan said she gets questions, too. "People are always like, 'Beason, where do I know that? Isn't that where that family was killed?'" she said. Today, there are more empty homes and houses for sale, Duncan said. But she and the Rev. Dayle Badman say Beason is much more than its reputation suggests. Badman was pastor at Beason United Methodist Church, the town's only church, for three years before receiving a new assignment at a Morrisonville church in July. "(Beason) definitely has a special place in my heart," she said. "The people that attend the church there, and not only my church, but other churches in the area are very loving. "I'm very proud to know them and (to have) worked with them." Duncan, who's served as postmaster for 10 years, says Beason residents "have each others' backs." "I had the opportunity to go somewhere else, but I didn't," she said. "The people are friendly, and there's something about rural communities that people from the big cities don't understand."

Beason obstruction case on hold until after murder trial

Thursday, March 10, 2011

LINCOLN — A former Logan County woman accused of providing a
false alibi for a man charged in the 2009 deaths of a Beason family
has no further court dates until after his trial.

James Grimaldi, the defense lawyer for Jennifer Earnest, said
Thursday that he recently received two more boxes of materials
related to her alleged involvement in the pending murder case
against Christopher J. Harris. The Armington man and his brother,
Jason L. Harris, each face more than 50 counts of first-degree
murder in the deaths of Rick and Ruth Gee and three of their
children.

Earnest and her mother, Sara Duncan, were charged with
obstruction of justice about a week after the killings. Earnest
lives in Kentucky and her mother resides in Florida, according to
court records.

Judge Thomas Harris confirmed with Assistant State’s Attorney
John Wright that the state intends to bring the Harris brothers to
trial before handling the cases against the two women.

Wright agreed with Grimaldi that the case against Earnest is a
complicated one.

The judge did not schedule a new court date for Earnest, saying
he would wait for the Harris cases to move forward.

A May 10 hearing is scheduled for Duncan.

The Harris brothers are due in court March 18 for a hearing to
review scheduling matters.

Last month prosecutors disclosed their intention to seek the
death penalty despite pending legislation intended to abolish the
death penalty. With the bill signed into law this week, lawyers for
both men are expected to confer with the judge about how the
abolition will affect the Logan County case.

Then-Gov. George Ryan declared a moratorium on the death penalty
in 2000. Safeguards imposed after that included a requirement that
each defendant facing the death penalty should have two lawyers
experienced in capital litigation.

The state fund that now pays for such murder trials will be used
instead for law enforcement training and services for families of
murder victims. That leaves counties with pending murder cases
concerned about how they will pay the sizable legal costs.