Pretrial release denied in murder case | Community survey results | Football conference merger

NCTV17 News Update slate for Oct. 11, 2023 with gavel in background
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Man charged in 1972 murder case denied pretrial release

The Minnesota man accused of the murder of a Naperville teenager more than 50 years ago will remain in jail as he awaits trial, as decided in a ruling by a Will County judge yesterday.

Barry Lee Whelpley, 78, has been charged in the 1972 murder of 15-year-old Julie Ann Hanson. Hanson disappeared while she was riding her bike to her brother’s baseball game. The next day her body was found in a field near Modaff Road and 87th Street.

Whelpley was arrested in connection with the murder in 2021, when authorities said DNA evidence had linked him to the crime. He has been held in the Will County jail, with a $10 million bail.

Due to the recent change in bail laws because of the SAFE-T Act, Whelpley’s attorney had petitioned for pretrial release, due to his client’s age and poor health. The judge denied that request after hearing from the state about other violent episodes in Whelpley’s past.

Residents give Naperville high approval rating in community survey

Naperville residents gave the city high marks overall in a recent community survey. Learn more details about the results and which areas showed some room for improvement.

Naperville named safest city in the U.S. for trick-or-treating

Naperville has been named as the safest city in the nation for trick-or-treating, according to a recent ranking by the review website Chamber of Commerce. Find out what factors landed the city at the top of the list.

Scarecrow Trail at Morton Arboretum

Guests at the Morton Arboretum can enjoy the Scarecrow Trail around Meadow Lake through the month of October. Find out who’s behind the design and construction of these seasonal creations.

DuPage Valley Conference football merges with Southwest Suburban Conference

Starting in 2024, the six DuPage Valley Conference football teams will merge with the Southwest Suburban Conference to create a 15-team conference split into three divisions. Find out more about this new merger and how local teams will be divided.