Brenda Erving

DOB: December 23, 1962

• Deputy Durand Huseman-PCSD

    On October 15, 2004, he was dispatched to 24000 block of West Taggert Road, Elmwood Township, in Peoria County, Illinois, on a report of a deceased black female  found on a farm entrance road near its 24000 block. Upon arrival the deputy found the body of Brenda Erving lying face up in the mud and he found it to be unclothed except that she was wearing socks.  The area was muddy and the only footprints found in the  mud were those of the person who had contacted the Peoria County Sheriff's Office to report the discovery of the body.

• Dr. Violette Hnilica-MD Forensic Pathologist

    On October 16, 2004, Dr. Violette Hnilica performed the autopsy of Brenda Erving.  She would testify that she found injuries to Brenda Erving that were consistent with asphyxia as well as evidence of blunt force trauma to Ms. Erving's head. Medical tests showed that the body also contained a toxic level of cocaine product or its metabolite. In her medical opinion and within a reasonable degree of medical and forensic certainty, Dr. Hnilica would state that Ms. Erving died of asphyxia with blunt force injuries to her head with accompanying cocaine toxicity.

• Det. Dave Hoyle-PCSD

• Det. Cy Taylor-TCSD

    On January 26, 2005, the defendant spoke with detectives concerning the murder of Brenda Erving.  He stated he did not remember what she looked like but that he recalled the incident of killing her by where he dumped Ms. Erving's body. He said he did not recall exactly where he picked her up that night but that he was driving and that they went back to his residence and he and the victim spent about an hour smoking crack cocaine and having sex. The defendant said that while smoking the crack he knew that he was going to be killing this woman.  He stated that he began to choke her and that she put up a fierce resistance and struggled with him. He said that she put up the biggest fight of any of the girls he attacked and that, at one point, she almost got away but that he was able to grab her and keep her from getting out of the house. He struck her and strangled her as he did with the others.

    He then drove her body until he was near rural Elmwood.  He had intended to find a lake and throw the body in the lake but he had gotten lost and said that he panicked.  He then threw her body out onto a dirt road and continued driving into a large farm. There he turned around and drove himself back by the body.  He told detectives that after he had dumped the body at the edge of the dirt road he made sure to cover up any of his footprints.

    After questioning, the defendant directed detectives to the area that he had described when telling about Brenda Erving's murder.  He said that this was the last time he used his Blazer to transport a body after killing them.  When showing detectives the route he had taken he pointed to where he dumped the body and showed where he had turned around in the parking lot of a farm. This farm was found to be  Inman's Dairy.  Regarding the clothing of the victim that had been left behind at the defendant's residence, the defendant stated that he had burned these clothes and he remarked that he had a difficult time burning a red raincoat because it was leaving residue.  When last seen alive before her murder, Brenda Erving was reported wearing a red raincoat.