Family slayings suspect appears in court

A suburban Chicago man accused of killing his wife and three children in their sport utility vehicle in northern Illinois was ordered held without bail Monday.

Christopher Vaughn, 32, said nothing during the brief hearing as a judge revoked a $1 million bail that had been set earlier. No plea was entered.

Vaughn, 32, a computer consultant from Oswego, Ill., was arrested by Illinois State Police on Saturday at a funeral home in this St. Louis suburb just before he was to attend a memorial service for his family: Kimberly Vaughn, 34, and children Abigayle, 12, Cassandra, 11, and Blake, 8.

Prosecutors in Illinois' Will County have charged him with eight counts of first-degree murder _ two for each victim.

Illinois authorities have not divulged a possible motive for the slayings or publicly detailed the evidence, saying only that numerous interviews, forensic evidence, computer files and phone records led them to Vaughn, whom they initially said was not a suspect.

The bodies of Vaughn's wife and children were found June 14 in their SUV, parked along a service road in Channahon, about 40 miles southwest of Chicago, after Vaughn flagged down a motorist.

Vaughn had superficial gunshot wounds in the leg and arm, police said. His 9 mm handgun was found at the scene, authorities said.

St. Charles County prosecutor Jack Banas said outside court that he could not predict when an extradition hearing might be held.

Defense attorney David Waltrip said his client intends to plead not guilty to the fugitive count. Waltrip also has said that Vaughn would challenge extradition.

Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow said Vaughn could be returned as early as Tuesday.