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Father charged with killing daughter, friend in Ill.
By Tom Kenworthy, USA TODAY
ZION, Ill. — The father of one of two girls stabbed to death during a bike ride on Mother's Day was arrested Tuesday on murder charges, authorities in Zion, Ill., announced.

A mother and daughter place flowers on a memorial Tuesday for Laura Hobbs, 8, and Krystal Tobias, 9, at Beulah Park in Zion, Ill.
By Scott Olson, Getty Images

Jerry Hobbs, 34, who was released from a Texas prison last month after serving time for assault, faces two first-degree murder counts that could bring a death sentence, said Michael Waller, state's attorney for Lake County, Ill. (Related video: Police arrest girl's father)

"This horrific crime has terrorized and traumatized the Zion community and, I think it's safe to say, people of goodwill everywhere," Waller said at a televised news conference. "There's no rational explanation or reasonable motive that can be ascribed to an act of horror like this."

The two girls, Laura Hobbs, 8, and Krystal Tobias, 9, were found dead early Monday morning in a ravine in Beulah Park Nature Area in Zion, a town of 23,000 people about 50 miles north of Chicago. The two second-graders, inseparable best friends, died of multiple stab wounds and were beaten.

Found next to each other, fully clothed, the girls showed no signs of sexual assault.

After an all-night search, Jerry Hobbs told police he had found the girls' bodies, according to Laura's grandfather, Arthur Hollabaugh. Hobbs faced almost immediate questioning by police Monday and again Tuesday because "his reactions to questions piqued officers' interest," Waller said.

He said Hobbs will have a bond hearing today, when more evidence will be disclosed.

Waller said Hobbs confronted and killed the girls in the park as they rode a single bike on a path through the woods.

"We believe we have a compelling case," he added. He would not say whether Hobbs confessed and said the weapon had not been found.

Mayor Lane Harrison praised police for their quick investigation and said the speedy arrest will "bring a great deal of comfort" to the community. "I'm just thankful to God we were able to get through this in just a couple of days," he said.

According to Texas Department of Public Safety records, Hobbs has a lengthy criminal record in that state, with 10 arrests dating to 1990. In April, he was discharged from a Texas prison after serving 18 months on an aggravated-assault conviction. He has two other convictions for assault and convictions for drug possession and driving offenses.


AP
Hobbs


His recent imprisonment stemmed from an argument in 2001 with Laura's mother, Sheila Hollabaugh, during which he grabbed a chainsaw and chased neighbors through the trailer park where they lived, according to Wichita County Assistant District Attorney Rick Mahler. No one was hurt, and someone subdued Hobbs by hitting him in the back with a shovel, Mahler said.

Hobbs was sentenced to 10 years of probation but failed to appear for required meetings, so his probation was revoked in 2003 and he was imprisoned.

James Fox, a Northeastern University criminologist, said it is "extremely rare" for children the age of the victims to be murdered and even rarer for them to be slain by a parent. But, Fox added, sometimes a parent commits "murder by proxy ... to get back at the spouse."

In Zion, near the park where the girls' bodies were found, a tribute of flowers, stuffed animals and balloons grew Tuesday. One sign read: "May your angels rest peacefully in heaven."

At Beulah Park Elementary School, where the slain girls were in the same class, the flag was at half-staff. Psychologists and grief counselors were on hand to help students, said Brenda Landers, executive assistant to the superintendent of schools.

"The schoolchildren are handling it very well," Landers said. "School is operating normally today."

Contributing: The Associated Press

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GOD HAS A SPECIAL PLACE FOR HIM RESERVED IN HELL..