UPDATE Rockford man pleads guilty in second killing
ROCKFORD, Ill. (AP) -- A Rockford man accused of killing two people in a span of about two days likely will be sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty in the second slaying.
Terence Doddy pleaded guilty Monday in the death of 37-year-old Todd Hansmeier, who was found dead June 29 inside Doddy's workplace. Prosecutors said Doddy admitted to investigators that he was responsible for the man's death and told them he took Hansmeier's vehicle, credit cards and ATM card without permission.
The Rockford Register Star reports Doddy also pleaded guilty last week in the death of 44-year-old Tonya Bargman of Monticello. She was strangled July 1 as she left a rest stop on Interstate 39 near Paw Paw.
Doddy was arrested three days later after a police chase near Beloit, Wisconsin.
He's expected to be sentenced in mid-June.
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UPDATED Wednesday, April 29, 2015---1:32 p.m.
DIXON, Ill. (AP) -- A Rockford man has pleaded guilty to killing a woman at a northern Illinois highway rest stop a day after he allegedly killed a co-worker.
Thirty-seven-year-old Terence Doddy faces life in prison under a deal with prosecutors after entering the plea Wednesday in Lee County in the slaying of 44-year-old Tonya Bargman on Monticello. She was strangled July 1 as she left a restroom at the Willow Creek rest stop on Interstate 39 near Paw Paw. Doddy was arrested three days later after a police chase near Beloit, Wisconsin.
Doddy is expected to plead guilty to a charge Monday in Winnebago County in connection with the slaying of 37-year-old Todd Hansmeier.
State's attorneys in Lee and Winnebago Counties collaborated in putting together the plea agreement for Doddy.
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UPDATED: Monday, July 7th, 2014 --- 6:27 p.m.
ROCKFORD, Ill. (AP) -- A man suspected in two Illinois homicides who was arrested after a high-speed chase appeared during a court appearance to be injured.
Police say they arrested Terence Doddy July 4 after the car he drove crashed into a tree near Beloit.
According to the Rockford Register-Star, Doddy used a wheelchair and had black eyes when he appeared in a Janesville, Wis., courtroom Monday.
Details of his injuries were unavailable.
Doddy is charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated. He has not entered a plea.
Illinois State Police say the 36-year-old Doddy is a suspect in the late-June killing of 37-year-old co-worker Todd Hansmeier of Rockford and the July 1 death of 44-year-old Tonya Bargman of Monticello at an Interstate 39 rest stop.
Illinois authorities plan to extradite Doddy.
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It wasn't your average fourth of July for Alex Laporte.
"We see all these cops driving all over the place and next thing you know the guy is coming at us about 100 miles per hour," he said.
Alex, along with other buddies in the car, saw 36-year-old Terence Doddy -- a homicide suspect -- race down Highway 81 near Beloit.
"He flew by us and ended up crashing about a mile or two down the road."
Alex didn't hesitate to get his phone out, and caught the chase on tape.
Doddy crashed his (stolen) car after hitting spikes and losing control.
"When he drove by everyone he was just kind of cool and calm, just like nothing was going on," Laporte said.
Officers from all over, including Beloit, Rockford, Rockton, Rock County and State Troopers chased Doddy.
He is wanted in connection to the death of a woman off of I-39 on Tuesday and also wanted for the murder of a man in Rockford.
The pursuit first started when Doddy's stolen car was spotted by a Rockton Police Officer shortly after 11 a.m.
Doddy was treated at Mercy Hospital in Janesville for non-life-threatening injuries after crashing the stolen vehicle.
Laporte, on the other hand, says he was nervous the whole time... and that he knew it was dangerous.
"Especially with all the other traffic... it's like most people didn't even know what was going on," he said.
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UPDATED: Friday, July 4th, 2014 --- 3:35 p.m.
From our news partner WIFR in Rockford:
UPDATE: Authorities have taken murder suspect Terence Doddy into custody.
According to the Winnebago County Sheriff's Department, a Rockton police officer saw Doddy in the stolen gray 2013 Nissan around 10:12 a.m. behind the old Sand Trap Bar in Rockton on Wagon Wheel Road.
The vehicle was hidden in a wooded area behind the building. As the officer was waiting for back-up, the vehicle fled the area.
A short time later, an Illinois State trooper observed Doddy driving in South Beloit. The suspect fled, starting a high-speed chase involving Illinois State Police, Winnebago County sheriff's deputies, among other law enforcement agencies.
The pursuit went into Wisconsin, returned back into Shirland, Illinois, then headed back into Wisconsin. At that point, Beloit and Rock County officers assisted as well. During the pursuit, speeds going over 100 miles per hour were reached.
The chase ended along Highway 81 in Rock County when Doddy lost control and hit a tree.
After a short struggle, Doddy was taken into custody and transported to Mercy Hospital in Janesville for treatment.
When released, Doddy will be taken to the Rock County Jail and held on the Rockford Police warrant for first-degree murder, pending extradition.
The criminal investigation of the murders is ongoing by the Rockford Police Department and the Illinois State Police.
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UPDATED: Friday, July 4th, 2014 --- 12:35 p.m.
From our news partner WIFR in Rockford:
UPDATE: Authorities have a Rockford murder suspect in custody after an alleged police chase throughout northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin Friday morning.
Beloit police confirm suspect Terence Doddy was taken into custody. According to scanner traffic, it happened near Highway 81 and Paddock around 11:45 a.m. For the past hour, authorities have been following Doddy across the Stateline, starting in Rockton and ending in Beloit, according to scanner traffic.
Scanner traffic indicates a crash with injuries was reported at the site where Doddy was allegedly taken into custody.
According to the Winnebago County Sheriff's Department, a Rockton police officer spotted Terence Doddy driving in a car after 10:30 a.m. in the 12000 block of Wagon Wheel Lane headed northbound. The vehicle is a 2013 gray Nissan Altima with the Illinois license plate BRGMN2 stolen from a woman found murdered on I-39.
We will update you with the latest once details have been confirmed.
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UPDATE: The man wanted for the murder of a man found dead inside QVSM Call Center on North Alpine Monday morning is now a possible suspect in another murder.
36-year-old Terence Doddy is now a person of interest in the murder of a woman that happened off of I-39 at the Willow Creek Rest Area near Paw Paw around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. Investigators say that after reviewing surveillance video from the rest stop they have determined that the woman was attacked by a man after exiting the restroom.
Doddy is already accused of killing 37-year-old Todd Hansmeier in Rockford.
Police believe Doddy stole Todd Hansmeier's car after Doddy allegedly killing Hansmeier at a call center on North Alpine. Rockford Police say Hansmeier's car has been found in Lee County where the woman was killed. Officers tell us they are now looking for a gray Nissan Altima with the license play B-A-R-G-M-N-2. Investigators say the Altima is the second murder victim's car.
Anyone with any information in the investigation or Doddy's whereabouts is urged to contact 911 or the ISP Zone 2 office at 815-632-4010. Police are also urging the public to take necessary safety precautions when visiting rest stop areas.
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UPDATE: Police have issued an arrest warrant for 36-year-old Terence Doddy in connection to the death of Todd Hansmeier.
37-year-old Todd Hansmeier was found dead in an east side call center Monday morning and the Winnebago County Coroner's office says he was likely beaten to death. Fire crews found the Hansmeier's slightly burned body yesterday morning at QVSM call center on North Alpine Road right behind Peak Fitness.
Police say Doddy is wanted on three counts of murder as well as an aggravated domestic battery warrant with a bond of $100,000. Investigators say Doddy is believed to be in possession of Hansmeier's black 2011 Chevrolet Cruze with Illinois plates L611935. If you see Doddy or the vehicle, do not approach and instead, call police.
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UPDATE: The Winnebago County Coroner's Office reports the man found dead in a burning office Monday morning is 37-year-old Todd Hansmeier of Rockford. His partially burned body was found at the QVSM Call Center on North Alpine yesterday morning. An autopsy is being conducted today to determine what killed Hansmeier.
Rockford Police are calling the investigation a homicide. It appears Hansmeier and a QVSM employee were at the business before it opened yesterday. The employee has not been seen or heard from since.
Anyone with information in this investigation is asked to call the Rockford Police Department at 815-987-5824 or Crime Stoppers at 815-963-7867.
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UPDATE: Police are now calling a suspicious death a homicide after an early morning fire at a call center in Rockford leads to the discovery of a body.
The owner of QVSM Call Center in the 300 block of North Alpine Road, says the body was found in an office and the fire was confined to that office. It's not clear if the person was dead before the fire or was killed by the fire.
The victim did not work for the call center and the owner did say an employee's car was found in the parking lot, but that employee is now missing.
Anyone with information in this investigation is asked to call the Rockford Police Department at 815-987-5824 or Crime Stoppers at 815-963-7867.
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ROCKFORD (WIFR) -- A death investigation is underway after an early morning fire in Rockford.
Police say a body was found in the 300 block of North Alpine Road after a fire. We'll update you as soon as we learn more.