"He's a sociopath. He's a psychopath. He's going to get life in prison," Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow said. "But he will spend the rest of his life staring at the cold walls of prison cell and he will meet his maker later for his real punishment."
"If you watched him during the trial and heard the evidence we did, I think you'd come to the same conclusion, too," said one juror.
Jurors in the Vaughn murder trial got the case on Thursday afternoon. More than 80 witnesses were called during the five-week trial.
Prosecutors argued that Vaughn shot his wife, Kimberly, and three children -- Abigayle, Cassandra, and Blake -- because he didn't want a family life. Vaughn's defense attorneys argued that Kimberly killed the children, and shot at Vaughn, who received graze wounds to his wrist and thigh.
"She idolized her husband. Felt bad that he had to travel so much for work. Not someone who wanted to do in her husband," Will County Assistant State's Attorney Michael Fitzgerald said.
"The evidence in this case is so overwhelming. It conclusively proves Chris Vaughn is guilty of these murders," Will County Assistant State's Attorney Chris Regis said.
During closing arguments, defense attorney George Lenard said, "You don't know, ladies and gentlemen. You really don't know what happened in the car. You really don't know."
The Oswego family was on its way to a water park in 2007 when Kimberly and the three children were shot to death in the SUV on an outer road near Channahon.
After rendering its verdict, the jury met for drinks at a nearby bar and was later joined by Vaughn's defense attorney.
"I found out where they're at and tracked them down. And I always speak to jurors. That's the way you learn," said Lenard.
"Collectively, we did what needed to be done. And I think we all felt that way," said Bob Trax, juror.
David Butsch, a spokesperson for Kimberly Vaughn's parents, told ABC7 they are satisfied with the jury's verdict. He said the trial showed what kind of mother Kimberly Vaughn was to her children.
"As the evidence in the trial pointed out, Kimberly was a very devoted and loving mother, and she simply was not capable of the things the defense claimed she did. And of course the evidence presented at trial very much supported that," Butsch said.
