Joan Lefkow - Double Homicide

Double Homicide

On February 28, 2005, Lefkow returned home to find the bodies of both her husband and mother in the basement of her North Side home. According to an anonymous federal source, both Michael F. Lefkow, 64, and Donna Humphrey, 89, had been shot multiple times. The Cook County medical examiner's office stated that the victims were killed with .22 caliber shots to the head. No weapon was found at the scene, but two .22-caliber casings were recovered; evidence of a break-in was found as well. Initial suspicions focused on the possibility that hate groups were involved. On March 4, the FBI announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to the identification of anyone involved in the slayings. On March 8, investigators announced that DNA samples were obtained from a cigarette butt found inside the kitchen sink. Further evidence was recovered in and around the home, including a fingerprint, a bloody footprint, and a soda can.

Lefkow and her children were again placed under the protection of the United States Marshals Service.

On May 18, 2005, Judge Lefkow testified before the U.S. Congress on the problem of providing security for judges, placing some of the blame for the attack on her family on rhetoric against judges issued by persons such as Pat Robertson. Neo-Nazi radio host and FBI informant Hal Turner asserted (proudly) that comments of his (which called for Lefkow's death) may have inspired the murders; however, this was never verified.