Case Number: 7338
Witchell, Eliz. Sr. - Age 38, Eliz. Jr. - Age 4� - Both shot to death at 149 W. Oak St., by Casper Pastoni, alias John Sklaff, who attempted to commit suicide but recovered and on 8/12/22 was held by the Coroner. 28 Dist. 5/16/23 - s/o - sentenced to hang 6/15/23 - Kersten. 6/15/23 hanged in the County Jail.
Circumstances
| Date of Offense | July 29, 1922 |
|---|---|
| Date of Death | July 29, 1922 |
| Time Between Offense and Death | Immediate - death occurred at the crime scene |
| Address | 149 W Oak st |
| Type of Location | Residence |
| Type of Death | Homicide |
| Type of Homicide | Intentional murder |
| Characteristics | def attempteds suicide but recovered |
| Method of Killing | Other gun, gun unspecified |
| Weapon | both shot to death |
| Motive | he killed them, then tried to committ suicide but |
| Victim Initiated Events Leading to Homicide | No |
| Description | Suicide |
| Total Number of Victims | 2 |
| Related to Organized Crime | |
| Type of Residence | Residence of victim |
Victim
| Name | Witchell, Elizabeth Sr and Jr |
|---|---|
| Age | 38 years |
| Gender | Female |
| Race | White |
| Ethnicity | English-Anglo |
Defendant
| Name | Pastoni, Casper aka Skloff, Jo |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male |
| Ethnicity | Italian |
| Race | White |
Police
| Precinct | 28 |
|---|---|
| Allegations of Police Corruption | No |
| Time Between Crime and Arrest | Weeks |
| Total Number of Defendants Arrested | 1 |
Legal
| Date of Coroner's Decision | August 12, 1922 |
|---|---|
| Outcome of Coroner's Judgment | Murder was cause of death |
| Trial Judge | Kersten |
| Type of Legal Decision Recorded | Coroner, grand jury, trial, and post conviction |
| Allegations of Police Corruption | No |
| Date of Sentence | June 15, 1923 |
| Length of Sentence | Death penalty |
| Outcome of Trial | Guilty of murder |
| Post Trial Information | Death sentence carried out |
| Sentence Completed | Yes |
| Sentenced to | Joliet, Stateville |
