Man found guilty in strangling girlfriend, kidnapping baby later found dead in pond

ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill. (WLS) -- A man was found guilty of murdering a Wheeling mother and kidnapping her daughter, who was later found dead.

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In November 2021, Ja'nya Murphy, 21, was found strangled to death in her apartment in the 300 block of Inland Drive in Wheeling.

There was a strong smell of bleach in the air, and her 1-year-old daughter Jaclyn "Angel" Dobbs was gone.

Ahmeel Fowler, of Pingree Grove, was charged with Murphy's murder and kidnapping baby Angel.

The state says Fowler left the apartment at 2:40 a.m. At 3:43 a.m., video shows his vehicle at a Hammond, Indiana retention pond where Angel's body would later be discovered.

He then apparently went to his parents' home, after which he took off for Springfield, Missouri. He was arrested shortly after.

Nearly five years later, a jury deliberated for less than two hours before convicting Fowler.

He was found guilty on three counts of first-degree murder and one count of aggravated kidnapping.

He will likely be sentenced on April 20 in his next court hearing.

The video in the player above is from a previous report.